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disturbing 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈstər-biŋ How to pronounce disturbing (audio)
Definition of disturbingnext
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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disturbing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of disturb
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

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 disturbing
Adjective
Belleville offered a disturbing picture of what could have happened without an armed officer outside. — Ariella Noveck, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Early in the book, there’s a disturbing scene in which Cathy’s mother stumbles upon a half naked 10-year-old Cathy lying on the floor beneath two teenage boys. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
Food companies are trying to find ways to make products healthier or more affordable by changing ingredients without disturbing familiar textures. — Dee-Ann Durbin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Switching means learning a new interface while disturbing an entire digital environment. — Mark Vena, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbing
  1. annoying
  2. embarrassing
  3. unsettling
  4. uneasy
  5. alarming
  6. removing
  7. disrupting
  8. bothering
Adjective
  • Small dust particles and annoying pathogens can be lurking all around your home causing allergies to flair.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Having never cleaned my rain gutters since becoming a homeowner five years ago, I was stunned to learn that this annoying task should be completed once, if not twice, a year.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • Last Monday, McDuffie intercepted a pass in the Rams’ 28-6 victory over the New York Giants, a win that helped erase some of the sting from their embarrassing season-opening defeat by the San Francisco 49ers in Australia.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • In any event, Florio’s latest blog calling for the Giants to work out Kaepernick is embarrassing.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Adjective
  • Up close, its elongated head, skeletal body and glistening double set of jaws reveal just how much unsettling detail goes into a creature often glimpsed onscreen in darkness.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Adrià describes a world filtered through adolescence, where people, places and situations can appear idealized, magical or unsettling.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • An uneasy calm prevailed along the border Friday, with no new fighting reported.
    — MUNIR AHMED, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Their battles for influence, image and desire, in a Spain on the brink of collapse, are observed and narrated with fierce irony by Francisco de Goya, an uneasy witness who turns palace intrigue into a surprisingly contemporary mirror.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Verb
  • But the Treasury market’s rapid deterioration is now alarming those who previously downplayed the risks.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The constant delay-of-game calls, false starts and inability to get lined up are a special level of alarming for a quarterback who entered the NFL 10 years ago.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of alarming
Verb
  • That equates to removing the electricity demand of roughly 50,000 window air conditioners from the grid or powering approximately 34,000 households for four hours each day during peak demand.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Before applying the mulch, Singh advises removing any handles, tape, staples, or labels from the paper bags.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of removing
Verb
  • Different views on the topic The administration and its supporters reject the claim that their election efforts are aimed at disrupting or manipulating voting.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The Panthers were flagged 16 times for 165 yards, disrupting an otherwise dominant performance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupting
Verb
  • The goal is not to solve what’s bothering you but to let the thoughts move through.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Lane Kiffin will stroll off the LSU bus later this afternoon, acting as if none of the noise is bothering him.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of bothering

Browse Nearby Words

disturbers
disturbing
disturbingly
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Cite this Entry

“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbing. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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