unsettling

adjective

un·​set·​tling

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ, 

-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ 

: having the effect of upsetting, disturbing, or discomposing

unsettling images of the war

unsettlingly

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ-lē, 

-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ- 

adverb

Synonyms of unsettling

• disturbing
• troubling
• frightening

Examples of unsettling in a Sentence

unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region

had the unsettling task of picking out a coffin and making the other funeral arrangements for his father

Recent Examples on the Web

All of Amadeus’s contemporaneous stylistic and dialogue choices are a blast, but the series’ suggestion that this kind of guy is plaguing our present, too, feels the most timeless, and the most unsettling. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 May 2026

What begins as charming quickly turns unsettling, as Mark and Julie grow concerned about their son’s growing attachment to the family. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 11 May 2026

Exciting, gratifying, intimate, and also—unsettling. —Literary Hub, 11 May 2026

Whether or not the signaling is explicitly intended by the US military or administration, the message is likely to be unsettling, to say the least, for Cuban officials. —Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 10 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsettling

• settling
• resettling