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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

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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
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
  • More than a month after Perez Hilton appeared in a disturbing livestream appearing to engage in acts of self-harm at this Miami-area home, his family is addressing the rumor mill.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
  • As tensions rise and boundaries begin to blur, their grandmother’s frail presence takes on an increasingly disturbing quality, turning a once-idyllic summer into a haunting passage into adulthood.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • OpenAI’s use of a new technique that obscures AI agents’ chain of thought is alarming the research community.
    — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of alarming
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
Verb
  • Even a quiet voice can be distracting in an otherwise silent reading area.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Fast movement feels more immediate, while VRR helps reduce distracting screen tearing when frame rates change.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracting
Adjective
  • The friends, who had a key to the house, entered the home and immediately noticed several troubling signs.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The campaign was far from the report’s most troubling example of AI misuse.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of troubling
Verb
  • The list of maladies bothering Ohtani is lengthy, and grew this week.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Ohtani reported that the area from his biceps to his neck was bothering him Wednesday night, Roberts said.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of bothering
Adjective
  • The subjects bring insightful detail of frightening practices, and the filmmaking helps to underline the thematic commentary of the disconnect between levels of humanity.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Como are playing some slick football under Cesc Fabregas, and while 21-year-old Nico Paz is still the shining star at the heart of every attack, Baturina has also clicked into a frightening gear.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • Flowers aggravated a summer hamstring issue and Lane’s wrist injury could be concerning.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The rest of the firm’s case doesn’t need help from the Fed to look concerning on its own.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of concerning

Browse Nearby Words

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 Sep. 2026.

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