unsettling

adjective

un·​set·​tling
ˌən-ˈset-liŋ
-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce unsettling (audio)
Synonyms of unsettlingnext
: having the effect of upsetting, disturbing, or discomposing
unsettling images of the war
unsettlingly
ˌən-ˈset-liŋ-lē
-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ- How to pronounce unsettling (audio)
adverb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead of an attack, the play offers something more unsettling, a meditation on the allure of a bad life and the trap of a good one. Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 12 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. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026 Others viewed it as an unsettling preview of a future where AI agents operate in their own digital ecosystems. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Mar. 2026 The unsettling part is not Moltbook’s existence. Victoria Bousis, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsettling

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsettling was in 1665

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Cite this Entry

“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettling. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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