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

Skeptics point out oral exams can be unsettling for students who are shy or have serious anxiety, but clarifying the format ahead of time and starting with softball questions can help, says Carolyn Aslan, who leads Cornell’s oral exam training. —Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026

Still, at its best, Needle Guy applies Brady’s prankish energy to unsettling inversions of his inspirations. —Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026

In his home darkroom, a crime scene photographer develops pictures of a gruesome murder, and each new print comes out more unsettling than the last. —William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026

Seeing a place stripped of its reason for existence, through no fault of its own, is to view the unsettling beauty of absence. —Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsettling

• settling
• resettling