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

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

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

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
Adjective
In addition to Lynch’s Eighth Amendment ruling, Andreano cited a ruling by Will County Judge Brian Barrett, who dismissed the final forfeiture case against Keranen and Regnier in January and called the state’s actions disturbing. — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 On Monday, the same disturbing leaflets were found in dozens of homes in his neighborhood. — Heath Kalb, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
On vehicles with a dedicated secondary passenger display, front passengers can browse, view lyrics, and watch video content without disturbing the driver. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026 Furthermore, the use of economic arguments to justify oppression has disturbing historical precedent. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 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
  • After five years in development at Retro Studios, the original makers of the Metroid Prime series, fans were greeted with annoying side characters, a bike for Samus to roam the barren landscape on, and a deeply unsatisfying ending.
    — Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The truth, and its handling, hangs over the show, which must be annoying for those involved, and simultaneously is why many people bought tickets.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • These demands can become expensive, stressful, or embarrassing for victims, who, in desperation, turn to the internet for help.
    — Kim Key, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
  • With 10 days to prepare, Schottenheimer’s Cowboys played an embarrassing first half en route to a 23-13 loss on Sunday night at Green Bay.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Adjective
  • Jess Alder says dollhouse props fly off shelves, and the old building’s creaks can make closing time a little unsettling.
    — Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 30 Oct. 2026
  • So on Wednesday, after a full day of quiet, more people than usual were out on the streets in Kherson, enjoying the short glimpse of peaceful life, though many said the calm still felt unsettling.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • But bond markets are already uneasy with Brazil's growing debt-to-GDP ratio, and are likely to demand an ever-higher premium if public spending rises significantly.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The effort is backed by an uneasy alliance between the right-wing Make America Healthy Again movement and progressives, both motivated by concerns over food safety.
    — Elijah Wolfson, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Verb
  • Coolly, Violet responds that to avoid alarming the public, a few agitators have beenneutralized—now there’s a sticky euphemism—and their deaths passed off as revenge killings among drug traffickers.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But the idea that fine adaptations of great books need to be stopping points, rather than springboards, is alarming by itself.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarming
Verb
  • This may mean removing an abusive parent as their guardian and establishing another relative or foster parent in place of the parent.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Before the building is sold or used for secular purposes, church officials take great care when removing the religious items inside, said Jacob Preciado, director of asset management for the archdiocese.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of removing
Verb
  • On one hand, actual output from several member countries remains below quota levels; on the other hand, Middle East conflicts disrupting critical shipping lanes introduce uncertainty over whether crude supplies can smoothly reach global markets.
    — , CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The African National Congress is on course to lose control of most of South Africa’s major cities in Wednesday’s local elections, according to polling data, potentially disrupting power dynamics in the national coalition government.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of disrupting
Verb
  • His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bothering

Browse Nearby Words

disturbers
disturbing
disturbingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbing. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fulsome

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All