ˌən-ˈset-liŋ
1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
had the unsettling task of picking out a coffin and making the other funeral arrangements for his father
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsettling
Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 24 May 2025
Upending the character’s world is the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 May 2025
There are a number of small scenes throughout Bring Her Back that splice visceral horror tropes next to occasionally more unsettling glimpses of human vulnerability and error.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025
One of the most unsettling moments at UFC 315 occurred when Bruno Silva left the Octagon after suffering a knockout loss to Marc-Andre Barriault on the early prelims of the fight card.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Adjective
But the Doctor’s performance of heterosexuality might be even more unsettling.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 24 May 2025
Upending the character’s world is the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 May 2025
There are a number of small scenes throughout Bring Her Back that splice visceral horror tropes next to occasionally more unsettling glimpses of human vulnerability and error.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025
One of the most unsettling moments at UFC 315 occurred when Bruno Silva left the Octagon after suffering a knockout loss to Marc-Andre Barriault on the early prelims of the fight card.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling
Adjective
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Nothing has officially happened yet, but the tension is disturbing with the consequences potentially devastating.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
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That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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In the wake of multiple plane crashes, and amid erratic federal policies and denials and detentions at border crossings, summer travel in the U.S. is in an uneasy state.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
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The opening moments cement its tonal dissonance as, with a twang of Daniel Kowalski’s spare, uneasy score, a brief prologue with fire, a flailing figure and mutterings about Satan snaps to a far more banal view of an empty street lined with dim, shuttered houses under a low, gray sky.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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More troubling than political differences, young men and women aren’t occupying the same digital and physical spaces.—
Kian Bakhtiari,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
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Given this reality, Israelis’ attribution of collective responsibility for the Oct. 7 attack creates a troubling moral calculus that rationalizes civilian suffering.—
Carlo Koos,
The Conversation,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Streaming on Paramount+ Paramount+ Mission: Impossible — Fallout Maybe it’s called Fallout because this one’s lousy with plutonium cores, recaptured nuclear bombs, tense disarming sequences, and explosions.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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The posts tee up a potentially tense exchange between U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and his European counterpart later Friday morning.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Occupying and distracting the mind.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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While most of the acting is wonderful (Wyle is predictably great, but so is just about all of the main cast), some patient-of-the-week players err towards distracting histrionics.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The ensuing action is gory and frightening — and even Wong got a little spooked by Hawkins.—
Eric Andersson,
People.com,
31 May 2025
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This is incredibly damaging to career prospects and, given how little knowledge exists in mainstream medical and occupational health circles, can feel confusing and frightening for those who don’t know where to turn for advice.—
Nancy Doyle,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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In the novel’s historical re-creation, is there an anxious note to Americans now losing themselves in accommodation?—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
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An inaccurate diagnosis might lead to unnecessary or risky treatment, and a false positive can cause stress by requiring additional tests and anxious waits for results.—
Max Votek,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Overweight and obesity need to be treated safely and effectively to avoid that worrying forecast.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
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Bitcoin has dropping back from its all-time high of over $100,000 in the last week as BlackRock quietly confirmed a worrying bitcoin bombshell.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettling. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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