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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
What was already a very darkly funny and incredibly gross film gets even more disturbing as Bryan ventures into the Raccoon City hospital, trying to make his delivery. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 Recent news from the leading AI labs makes clear that the reality, while less cinematic, is perhaps more disturbing. — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 18 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
  • Ready to go to South America and see some capybaras annoying tweens?
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In May, Cloobeck was arrested and charged with three counts of attempting to dissuade a witness from testifying and one count of harassment for making annoying phone calls, according to a criminal complaint.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • Neither party acted on it; Republicans wanted to avoid embarrassing Trump, while Democrats wanted to avoid embarrassing Nancy Pelosi, whose husband is an active trader.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The Rams are coming off an embarrassing 27-7 defeat by the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Adjective
  • Nelson took 12 years to get the project made, and that labor-of-love aspect shows in the soulfulness and meticulous care the writer-director brings to this unsettling story of violence begetting violence, based on actual events.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Trapped together in the heavy, stifling isolation of the summer heat, the siblings’ bond begins to shift into something unsettling and difficult to define.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • Upheavals so profound are not accomplished without loosing uneasy spirits that will haunt us for many days.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Silicon sampling troubles some polling traditionalists who are uneasy about ethical and other implications of simulating human responses.
    — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 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
  • However, the debate in Europe is not about completely removing the EU AI Act.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In recent weeks, SOUTHCOM has also released several videos showing military personnel intercepting and boarding vessels allegedly involved in narco-trafficking before removing their crews and sinking the boats.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of removing
Verb
  • Burnam has a related lawsuit against O’Hare and the county in federal court as well as a request to dismiss the charges placed against him for disrupting a meeting and disorderly conduct.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Technical problems at a Federal Aviation Administration center in Philadelphia halted departures at New York-area airports Monday, disrupting hundreds of flights across the Northeast.
    — Josh Funk, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupting
Verb
  • 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
  • The injury was something that had been bothering Smith throughout training camp, but the decision to get surgery wasn’t made until recently.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 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 25 Sep. 2026.

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