unsettling
adjective
un·set·tling
ˌən-ˈset-liŋ,
-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ
: having the effect of upsetting, disturbing, or discomposing
unsettling images of the war
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
The Scolding, 1965, a claustrophobic portrait of jaundiced and blotchy figures watching a contretemps, has some of the unsettling atmosphere of James Ensor’s 1890 canvas The Intrigue, in which a clutch of masked figures presses in on the viewer.
—
Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
An unsettling boom heard over the greater Boston area on Saturday may have come from an exploding meteor.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 1 June 2026
The unsettling part is the speed.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
Another reason the Euphoria BTS videos were unsettling for some fans is that there have already been online debates throughout the show’s three-season run about the sexualization of women in the series.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
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Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
An unsettling boom heard over the greater Boston area on Saturday may have come from an exploding meteor.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 1 June 2026
The unsettling part is the speed.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
Another reason the Euphoria BTS videos were unsettling for some fans is that there have already been online debates throughout the show’s three-season run about the sexualization of women in the series.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Cite this Entry
“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettling. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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