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

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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
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
  • The disturbing incident comes amidst a sharp increase in both felony and misdemeanor assaults in the subway system.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The story follows a husband and wife who buy their dream ranch only to discover the land is alive with ancient spirits, and survival means submitting to increasingly disturbing rituals with each turn of the season.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • The development proved alarming enough that OpenAI vowed last week to slow the release of its upcoming Astra AI model.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Found in many foods For consumers, of course, the latest food safety concerns can be alarming given that lettuce and jalapeño peppers are used in many of the roughly 1 billion meals Americans consume daily.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of alarming
Adjective
  • The script is generally funny and romantic but can also get unsettling.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Set against the remote, insular world of its titular island, production designer Steve Arnold and set decorator Jennifer Engel created a lived-in, slightly stuck in time and, when necessary, deeply unsettling environment.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Verb
  • Practicing meditation, visualization, or deep breathing may help in distracting from the discomfort of a full bladder for a short time.
    — Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Aug. 2026
  • At least 10 million people use the Opal app, whose premium tier costs $100 annually, to lock themselves out of distracting apps, while others pay $59 for the Brick to do the same.
    — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of distracting
Adjective
  • Looking for a way to prove his value, Jackson instead discovers troubling research from the company’s own climate scientists projecting a rapid rise in global temperatures.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
  • For a brief period Wednesday, the president set aside more troubling issues to revel in his role as White House redeveloper.
    — Dan Diamond, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of troubling
Verb
  • The one issue that is bothering me at or just before launch is the CPU's Wear and Tear management.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The arnica in this gel can help treat sore muscles, aches, swelling, or other pains that are bothering you, too.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bothering
Adjective
  • But the ordeal was frightening and bewildering for Cliffel, who still didn't know what had caused her behavior.
    — Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a frightening imbalance in how the mainstream media report on these candidates, which tends to take it pretty easy on the latter.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • Perhaps more concerning is that Milwaukee is on the hook for two more years of the 34-year-old at a hair over $23 million per season.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Specifically, the order prevents the town and its officials from holding a vote on, approving, adopting or taking any action to implement Resolution 26-25 concerning the Circle T Data Center, including at the special meeting underway on Monday.
    — Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of concerning

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perturbed
perturbing
perturbingly
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Cite this Entry

“Perturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturbing. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on perturbing

Nglish: Translation of perturbing for Spanish Speakers

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