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
Andy Rose, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Yes, war is frightening, and images of fleeing expats and tourists are disturbing.
—Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2026
And with a noise level under 60 dB, the K1 is quiet enough for regular daytime operation without disturbing neighbors.
—New Atlas, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Adjective
That belief seemed to be bolstered by a disturbing video recovered from Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera, showing a person covered from head to toe approaching the house in the middle of the night with a gun, first attempting to cover the camera before removing it entirely.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Yes, war is frightening, and images of fleeing expats and tourists are disturbing.
—Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
There are disturbing allegations from unnamed sources.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2026
And with a noise level under 60 dB, the K1 is quiet enough for regular daytime operation without disturbing neighbors.
—New Atlas, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbing
Adjective
-
Food allergy safety is now being treated as a pillar of hospitality, not an inconvenience or an annoying exception.—
K. H. Koehler,
Ascend Agency,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Everybody’s a critic, and critics can be very annoying.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The clash over how many candidates to include underscored the dilemma facing Democrats, who are anxious to avoid a potentially embarrassing outcome in a state that hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988.—
Joseph Ax,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
-
In another, a self-critical impulse takes hold, and what seemed good at first is suddenly embarrassing.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The unsolved nature of the Bradley case is unsettling, to say the least.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
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Skeptics point out oral exams can be unsettling for students who are shy or have serious anxiety, but clarifying the format ahead of time and starting with softball questions can help, says Carolyn Aslan, who leads Cornell’s oral exam training.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Over years and then decades, the two women’s relationship swings between fierce sisterhood, bitter jealousy and an uneasy combination of the two.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Reportedly, Kate is uneasy about the way Harry and Meghan have criticized the monarchy.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
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Recently, something new appeared on the landscape, alarming wildlife advocates like Christina Aiello.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But with Friday’s 131-113 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Bulls were officially eliminated from postseason contention, removing the last sliver of competition from the final two-week stretch of the season.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
While action has been quick in removing Chávez’s name, there has been plenty of debate on how best to move forward.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Aid workers at Ladan say the raging war in the Middle East — more than 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles) away — has made their work harder, disrupting supplies and sending fuel costs soaring.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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In a moment when the market is worried about the technology disrupting a slew of online companies' business models, Young believes Chewy is a safe play.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Like, cool, got the game, but now the TV feels small, and suddenly the thermostat situation is bothering you, too.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Eventually, the girl let on that her classmate had indeed been bothering her, poking her in the back and face with his fingers — but did not say the boy had threatened to kill her, according to the police report.—
Jeff Ernsthausen,
ProPublica,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbing. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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