perturbing 1 of 2

adjective

pər-ˈtər-biŋ How to pronounce perturbing (audio)
Definition of perturbingnext
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety the perturbing news meant that we'd have to end our vacation prematurely

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

perturbing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of perturb
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the caller's strange remark perturbed me enough to keep me awake that night

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 perturbing
Adjective
Advertisement Indeed, along with a perturbing reliance on fossil fuels, around 18–20% of Saudi youth are unemployed, meaning developing productive avenues for them is a policy priority as set out in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Apr. 2026 Soon, Callaghan — alongside Nic Mosher and Evan Gilbert-Katz — was traversing the country in a shabby RV, documenting the surreal, perturbing and often hilarious fringes of American culture. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026 Now Hank has to contend with ride-share apps, boba, and bike lanes that interfere with his commute—adjustments that are perturbing to him. — Adrienne Matei, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2025 But Citron has proved to be one of the most surefire defensive options in this year’s draft, pairing a perturbing timing off the ball with her notable length at 6-foot-1 to grow into one of the nation’s most disruptive defenders. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
It had previously been thought that an unseen gas giant planet, having carved out a gap between the middle and outer ring, was perturbing the outer ring. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 17 Aug. 2026 In another study conducted around the same time, Picard found that perturbing mitochondria changed their host cell’s gene expression and growth, even when the organelles’ ability to transform energy was unchanged. — Rachel Nuwer, Quanta Magazine, 17 July 2026 Soon, Callaghan — alongside Nic Mosher and Evan Gilbert-Katz — was traversing the country in a shabby RV, documenting the surreal, perturbing and often hilarious fringes of American culture. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026 Wait a few hundred-thousand years, and another star will drift into our Oort cloud, perturbing it and potentially triggering new comets arriving in our inner Solar System. — Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 The collision would trigger fusion, perturbing a magnetic field, which in turn produces power. — Harry Booth, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturbing
  1. disturbing
  2. alarming
  3. unsettling
  4. distracting
  5. troubling
  6. bothering
  7. frightening
  8. concerning
Adjective
  • Brian had written down the recipe, and, in his back shed, Michael, with the eventual assistance of Kasey, sets about following it into strange and disturbing territory.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Artificial’s timeliness in that regard is striking, even disturbing.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • There are signs that the President is unravelling, in ways that are different from late-period Joe Biden but are alarming all the same.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Smith brought the schoolbooks to her neighbor’s house, further alarming her neighbor.
    — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarming
Adjective
  • In lieu of an interview, Gibney created an unsettling digital avatar of Musk that says things the real Musk actually uttered.
    — Sheelah Kolhatkar, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Its aggressively artificial imagery evokes the kind of AI-slop, dreamcore videos that tend to populate social media these days, thrusting the audience into increasingly unsettling spaces that seem generated from a stranger’s hazy childhood.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Verb
  • Maybe his conning can be curtailed someday, but the thought there’d ever be enough distracting chaos for a similarly lengthy follow-up is almost too much to bear.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The text was crisp and easy to read, the matte display minimized distracting reflections, and the ink paper mode made reading comfortable.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracting
Adjective
  • Even as Silicon Valley companies have disclosed their models’ involvement in troubling cyberattacks throughout the year, the burgeoning tech sector has continued to drive economic growth.
    — Garance Burke, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • MacIntyre, a sophomore, took over for usual starter Faizon Brandon last week as Brandon dealt with a troubling shoulder injury and then made the start against the Razorbacks (2-4, 0-3).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of troubling
Verb
  • 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
  • If neck pain keeps coming back or the lines bothering you keep getting deeper, talk with a doctor or dermatologist instead of relying on a gadget alone.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of bothering
Adjective
  • Doyle has played all kinds of frightening characters in his five years at Markoff's.
    — Ayesha Rascoe, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The trailer for the movie, which includes a particularly frightening jump scare from Chastain as Other Mommy, went viral online after playing in front of theatrical screenings.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • The Mipcom presentation follows a May ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court concerning the game’s intellectual property rights.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Those admissions could become important evidence in Pulido’s prosecution, although the allegations concerning him have not been tested in court.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of concerning

Browse Nearby Words

perturbed
perturbing
perturbingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturbing. Accessed 14 Oct. 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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
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
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All