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disquiet

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb disquiet contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of disquiet are agitate, discompose, disturb, fluster, perturb, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

In what contexts can agitate take the place of disquiet?

While the synonyms agitate and disquiet are close in meaning, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

When might discompose be a better fit than disquiet?

Although the words discompose and disquiet have much in common, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When is disturb a more appropriate choice than disquiet?

The words disturb and disquiet can be used in similar contexts, but disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Where would fluster be a reasonable alternative to disquiet?

The meanings of fluster and disquiet largely overlap; however, fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When could perturb be used to replace disquiet?

The synonyms perturb and disquiet are sometimes interchangeable, but perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

When can upset be used instead of disquiet?

The words upset and disquiet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of disquiet
Noun
Cooper will want to keep an eye on industry disquiet about Channel 4’s plans to launch an in-house productions unit. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025 The Battle Royale lingered, as did a general sense of disquiet. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Vessel’s lyrics seem disquieted by the attention, though. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025 One of Biden’s challenges is that some of the Black men who are paying close attention in Macon are deeply disquieted by the influx of migrants at the U.S.’s southern border and the amount of money that his administration has committed to stopping Russia’s war in Ukraine. Maeve Reston, Washington Post, 30 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for disquiet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disquiet
Noun
  • There could be some relationship turmoil popping up for you now and in the weeks ahead, Gemini.
    Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Amid the turmoil, former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky believes Burrow is wasting his prime years in Cincinnati.
    Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously opposed the bill, citing concerns over potential retaliation against Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Addressing environmental and material concerns While perovskite materials are relatively affordable, their use of rare elements and lead raises environmental concerns.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Sexton called for the review after hearing from owners alarmed by the rapid rise in assessed values.
    Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The president has galvanized supporters or alarmed his opponents across the country.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • However, unrest still broke out at the game on Thursday, with anti-Israel protesters in the vicinity.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Tanzania is one of several African countries to hold disputed elections this year that have resulted in unrest.
    Kate Bartlett, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Cotton argued the shutdown’s cause was not the expiring health care subsidies, but rather Democrats’ fear of blowback from their supporters.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Iran is facing its worst drought in decades, raising fears of evacuations in Tehran while threatening the regime’s stability and nuclear ambitions, according to a leading environmental expert.
    Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Punk music and its spirit clearly worried the Soviet rulers.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 Nov. 2025
  • For voters worried about health-insurance coverage or the future of research in the United States, scientists, health-care workers, and public-health experts may have particular appeal right now, Shields told me.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Directed by Tiago Rosa-Rosso, the film stages a gently absurd domestic scenario that drifts between comedy and unease, unfoldig like a theatrical chamber piece where logic slips and all is up for questioning.
    Callum McLennan, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The feature opens as Magda’s son returns from the front to this world without men, with his arrival stirring a growing unease among the group.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The attendees—thirty- and forty-somethings who are members of the bank’s Private Wealth Management (PWM) division, which boasts an average account size of over $75 million—gathered to hash out their anxiety and excitement.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Barton will have to wait another month to receive his sentence for the six guilty counts the jury returned on charges of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety to football broadcasters Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, and TV and radio host Jeremy Vine.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disquiet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disquiet. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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