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

As the façade of privilege begins to crack, the film charts an unsettling psychological terrain. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026

When in the house, the audience experiences it largely through Lori’s point of view, a perspective Soderbergh intended to be unsettling. —Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2026

And even when those layers do unravel, showing Becky in all her desperation, that unsettling feeling persists. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026

There is something deeply unsettling about watching human suffering unfold while the rest of the world debates it like a policy problem. —Maliha Rahman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsettling

• settling
• resettling