1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
a disturbing visit by the next-door neighbor while I was trying to study
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
there was a disturbing silence as I struggled to remember her name
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unsettling
causing worry or anxiety
a disturbing trend in the nation's energy consumption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a disturbing pause in the normally smooth operation of the machinery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
all that talk of war disturbed us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in removing
to change the place or position of
the items on her desk had been disturbed by someone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
her careful filing system is sure to be disturbed during the move
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bothering
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
sorry to disturb you while you're working
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in troubling
to cause discomfort to or trouble for
please do not disturb yourself—I'll get my own drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Julie K Brown, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
That includes a disturbing attack in a Regal Cinema parking lot in 2022 involving a man who says he was attacked at random by the same suspect who was brandishing a machete.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
In 2020, 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her middle-school boyfriend, Owen McKenny, started getting constant graphic and disturbing messages from an unknown number out of the blue.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Adjective
Some of the passages in the book were disturbing.
—Julie K Brown, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
That includes a disturbing attack in a Regal Cinema parking lot in 2022 involving a man who says he was attacked at random by the same suspect who was brandishing a machete.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
After Spencer and Mosley were arrested, disturbing details began emerging about the abuse the girl had allegedly suffered since 2018.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
In 2020, 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her middle-school boyfriend, Owen McKenny, started getting constant graphic and disturbing messages from an unknown number out of the blue.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbing
Adjective
-
Beyond that, people found the Mitfords’ very, very aristocratic accent extremely annoying.—
Mimi Pond,
People.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Here's how to erase annoying scratches from hardwood floors.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Other newborns were given away by their grandparents who conspired with doctors, priests and nuns to hide a daughter’s socially embarrassing pregnancy.—
Rafael Romo,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Fear of failure Failure can be disheartening, embarrassing and often downright devastating — especially in entrepreneurship, when your reputation and finances could be on the line.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This may be subtle but often unsettling in nature.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
For a story that could be this dark, what a gift to be able to recount some of these things, but with a tone that doesn’t need to be wildly investigative and uncomfortable and unsettling.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Handing spending power to a piece of software makes people uneasy.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
An uneasy calm, after two nights of chaos that saw tens of thousands of people pour out into the streets to vent their fury, setting fire to parliament and the Supreme Court – key symbols of state – and clashing with the government forces sent to keep them under control.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Aaron Glenn has a defensive background, serving as the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2021 to 2024, so the Jets' defensive struggles have been alarming so far.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The tackling was alarming enough that the Broncos were practicing on Monday with live tackles, something that’s not seen too often once the season starts.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Inside the metal carry case, there’s the dermaplaning Facial Razor, complete with one handle and three durable stainless-steel blades that offer delicate precision when removing peach fuzz and dead skin cells.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Perhaps your direct manager has been cold over Slack lately, removing you from important assignments or emails.—
Julia Sullivan,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, the president’s criticism of mail-in ballots could risk disrupting the inroads Republicans made with voters last cycle, with the party spending millions promoting mail-in ballots ahead of the 2024 election.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The limitations placed on these researchers is disrupting NASA’s work and could stymie the careers of younger Chinese researchers who came to the US to advance their scientific work, as well as benefit the space agency through their findings, the sources said.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There's other important bathroom etiquette travelers should keep in mind to avoid bothering flight attendants.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Lead with Gratitude and Grace Calling out someone for bothering you is always tricky.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbing. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share