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
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
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Recent Examples of perturbing
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
16 May 2026
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
Brown said the broader language in the bill that’s perturbing foreign investors is likely intended to be a safeguard against semantic workarounds for instituting digital service taxes and subsidiary top-up taxes — not to be a general-purpose punitive tool in an escalating trade war.
—
Tobias Burns,
The Hill,
11 June 2025
The new and somewhat perturbing actions that have been observed in early trials of the most advanced models comes from the disjunction between the AI's advanced capabilities and its fundamental lack of human-like moral reasoning or emotional capacity.
—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
24 May 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
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
Adjective
Dostál went from saving more than 14 goals above expected last season, his first year as the No. 1 option, to 2.9 goals below expected during the regular season and a perturbing 5.6 goals below expected in the postseason, per MoneyPuck.
—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
16 May 2026
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
Brown said the broader language in the bill that’s perturbing foreign investors is likely intended to be a safeguard against semantic workarounds for instituting digital service taxes and subsidiary top-up taxes — not to be a general-purpose punitive tool in an escalating trade war.
—
Tobias Burns,
The Hill,
11 June 2025
The new and somewhat perturbing actions that have been observed in early trials of the most advanced models comes from the disjunction between the AI's advanced capabilities and its fundamental lack of human-like moral reasoning or emotional capacity.
—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
24 May 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
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
Adjective
-
There were many disturbing parts of Kerstin’s story left unpursued.
-
The film is a modern take on the creature horror film told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover that his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.
Verb
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At the same time, the state’s spending keeps growing quickly as well, alarming the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which advises the Legislature on fiscal matters.
-
The 2023 property tax valuation cycle — and to a lesser extent, the 2024 and 2025 cycles — have been the subject of widespread outrage in Jackson County, with skyrocketing property values alarming homeowners and business owners alike.
Adjective
-
The New York Times reported that multiple women who once dated Platner described the Maine oysterman’s behavior as intimidating and unsettling.
-
This move, by a native of the attention economy, signals a growing trend of users actively disengaging, unsettling consumer investors.
Verb
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However, there was a distracting graphical issue where characters and objects would get weird glowy or black artifacts around the edges in close-up shots during battles and cutscenes.
-
People attending the trial would also be prohibited from reacting, gesturing, wearing distracting clothing, or otherwise disrupting proceedings.
Adjective
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The June 14 shooting has outraged community members and prompted protests in the small town of Senatobia, where residents point to a string of troubling encounters with police in recent years.
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This year’s line-hardening—by my count, some twenty-three per cent of cases—is both remarkable and troubling.
Verb
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That shift may help explain why some couples notice their partner’s scent bothering them more during periods of conflict.
-
The chest pain that had been bothering her finally let up.
Adjective
-
The hypocrisy is stunning, and frightening.
-
Yes, the Scots played poorly, but Brazil’s brilliant roster of attacking talent capitalized on mistakes with frightening efficiency.
Verb
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But even these preliminary findings are concerning, experts said.
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The state averages about eight unprovoked bites each year, according to the FWC, which runs a statewide program to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.
Cite this Entry
“Perturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturbing. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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