1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
a disturbing visit by the next-door neighbor while I was trying to study
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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
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2026
Premiering at the 2016 SXSW festival, this true crime documentary highlights the disturbing attack on Payton Leutner by her 12-year-old friends, Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, who slashed her 19 times in a bizarre attempt to appease the fictional, eerie internet figure known as Slender Man.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
But in Steyer’s case, his recent unrelenting attack ads against surging Becerra — now his chief campaign rival — are disturbing and seem like overkill.
—George Skelton, Mercury News, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Adjective
When an unsettling piece of evidence is revealed, Tara and her crew investigate the disturbing circumstances surrounding the case and attempt to uncover the truth about her brother’s disappearance.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2026
Premiering at the 2016 SXSW festival, this true crime documentary highlights the disturbing attack on Payton Leutner by her 12-year-old friends, Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, who slashed her 19 times in a bizarre attempt to appease the fictional, eerie internet figure known as Slender Man.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Verb
The spotted fish thrashes angrily, disturbing the waters so that the pool’s edge laps against the rock.
—Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
But in Steyer’s case, his recent unrelenting attack ads against surging Becerra — now his chief campaign rival — are disturbing and seem like overkill.
—George Skelton, Mercury News, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbing
Adjective
-
Some of the dead-on precision of Nilles’ attack was lost by out-of-sync video screens, an annoying glitch that needs attention given her monster performance.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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But still, today’s astro-weather pulls your attention toward friends, collaborators and future plans, and one annoying money issue (or self-worth issue) could completely throw off your mood.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
Moderate Democrat Jasmeet Bains did not advance, in an embarrassing defeat for establishment Democrats amid an intraparty feud about the party's future.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
That should be embarrassing to every university president and conference commissioner in America.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
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.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
10 June 2026
-
Her stance on gay and trans rights has evolved in especially unsettling ways.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Yet at the height of his triumph, Brooks was uneasy.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
After feeling uneasy about being famous for comedy at first, Faris now sees it as a privilege.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The closures shrink the countywide advanced voting location network from 18 to 12 voting sites — alarming some Johnson County and city officials and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
-
For Denver residents like Marisa Saturni-Johnson, the sirens were alarming enough to send her family into shelter.—
Sarah Horbacewicz,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
By removing the liquid filling stage entirely and accelerating the subsequent chemical formation and aging protocols, the production timeline for these steps is shortened by two-thirds.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
-
Make 4- to 6-inch-long cuttings by sipping off the ends of the shoots and removing a few bottom leaves.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
In the bedroom, a Noguchi Akari lantern and antique French column topped with one of Gibbon’s ceramic vessels create a moment of interest without disrupting the room’s sense of calm.—
Kristen Flanagan,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
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If the current Gulf War, marked by controversy over control of the Strait of Hormuz, does not end soon, the conflict may shift from attacks on the transport of oil by sea to disrupting vital potable water resources.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Brunson turned on the boosters in the second half, attacking the Spurs' defense and showing little sign that his knee was bothering him.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
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If certain smells or experiences are bothering you, here are some other tips for managing postpartum odor and sweat.—
Dory Zayas,
Parents,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbing. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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