1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
a disturbing visit by the next-door neighbor while I was trying to study
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Relevance
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2
as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
there was a disturbing silence as I struggled to remember her name
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3
as in unsettling
causing worry or anxiety
a disturbing trend in the nation's energy consumption
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4
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a disturbing pause in the normally smooth operation of the machinery
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1
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
all that talk of war disturbed us
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2
as in removing
to change the place or position of
the items on her desk had been disturbed by someone
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3
as in disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
her careful filing system is sure to be disturbed during the move
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4
as in bothering
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
sorry to disturb you while you're working
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5
as in troubling
to cause discomfort to or trouble for
please do not disturb yourself—I'll get my own drink
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disturbing
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
Bloody, disturbing, shocking, and entertaining as hell, the Ghost Ship opening couldn’t be any more different from the absolute slog that follows it, climaxing on a muddled and overly complicated ending.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Skyler Shepard, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Romantic from the first frame to the last, Park Chan-wook's 2022 masterpiece is a culmination of his steady and coherent approach to disturbing characters and his love for Hitchcock.
—Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Adjective
Here's everything to know about the disturbing details left out of Maternal Instinct.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
Bloody, disturbing, shocking, and entertaining as hell, the Ghost Ship opening couldn’t be any more different from the absolute slog that follows it, climaxing on a muddled and overly complicated ending.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Verb
At the news conference, Uthmeier said his office uncovered disturbing material during its investigation.
—Skyler Shepard, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Romantic from the first frame to the last, Park Chan-wook's 2022 masterpiece is a culmination of his steady and coherent approach to disturbing characters and his love for Hitchcock.
—Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbing
Adjective
-
Scam texts are annoying for everyone.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
22 June 2026
-
Others have blamed everything from feminism and long work commutes to annoying kiddy car seats.—
Tom Deignan,
New York Daily News,
21 June 2026
Adjective
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But the game takes a turn when Rulla pulls a question about the most embarrassing thing your partner has ever done in public.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
-
Hearing those comments from a friend must have been incredibly hurtful and embarrassing for her.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Even when those withdrawals are planned, seeing balances decrease can feel unsettling.—
Andrew Rosen,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Could Kadri, given the unsettling aspects of a trade and the finger injury, find a bump in play next year?—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
As the nation gears up to celebrate its 250th birthday, most Americans feel uneasy about their present, and pessimistic about their future, polls show.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
-
Sanders takes an uneasy step, into his wonderful, painful childhood.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
But the attack ads and political endorsements generally associated with running for other offices have started showing up in judicial races, alarming some judges and raising questions about whether candidates who engage in such activity have the right temperament for the job.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
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The 2023 property tax valuation cycle — and to a lesser extent, the 2024 and 2025 cycles — have been the subject of widespread outrage in Jackson County, with skyrocketing property values alarming homeowners and business owners alike.—
Ilana Arougheti
June 13,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Crews are focusing on the 15 feet along the roadsides, trimming trees that are still alive to help prevent fire from laddering into the crowns and removing dead trees.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
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In fact, according to Rakestraw, one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is assuming the babies have been abandoned and removing them immediately.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
20 June 2026
Verb
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The knock-on effect is a shortage of fuel and munitions for Russian frontline troops in southern Ukraine, further disrupting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s wartime goals.—
Gianluca Mezzofiore,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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People attending the trial would also be prohibited from reacting, gesturing, wearing distracting clothing, or otherwise disrupting proceedings.—
Matthew Davisson,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Instead, the reviews were largely muted, with analysts not bothering to adjust their revenue estimates for 2027 or 2028, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
-
That appears to be bothering people, as the broadcast noted some pointed conversations among the Spanish team during the hydration break.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbing. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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