as in to disturb
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers
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Recent Examples of unsettle
Accordingly, the most effective U.S. strategy—the one that has most unsettled Beijing in recent years and can deter its adventurism in the future—is to build new, enduring, and robust capacities with these states.
—
Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
Jalen Brunson endured physical play in the Knicks’ 100-94 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on Monday, alarming fans with another brief but unsettling late-game exit.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
And while terrifying movies are typically critic-proof at the box office, audiences tend to leave the theater feeling unsettled, which translates to poor exit polls.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
Her thorough explanations of medical situations comfort some patients, but unsettle others.
—Sarah Kurchak, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
Jalen Brunson endured physical play in the Knicks’ 100-94 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on Monday, alarming fans with another brief but unsettling late-game exit.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
And while terrifying movies are typically critic-proof at the box office, audiences tend to leave the theater feeling unsettled, which translates to poor exit polls.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
Her thorough explanations of medical situations comfort some patients, but unsettle others.
—Sarah Kurchak, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettle
Verb
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No doubt, climate change threatens to muck it all up, disturbing patterns that have existed for centuries.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
28 Apr. 2025
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This tactic—arresting judges for their courtroom decisions—has disturbing echoes in other countries where judicial independence has been undermined: in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey, and in other places where democracy has given way to executive supremacy.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That’s four clubs who are, to varying degrees, distracted from league football.—
Sam Tighe,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
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Photo: Google Maps Another theory: The glittering Emmys hardly distract from $6.495 million’s worth of truly great bones.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
2 May 2025
Verb
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Luckily, my dog doesn’t bother the plants—except the ones in the garden—but this plant stand gives me peace of mind anyway.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2025
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Travel delays don’t bother Blues The Blues got stuck in Winnipeg after Game 5 due to an issue with the plane that was bringing them back to St. Louis.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Verb
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People should not be alarmed as the fires are carefully monitored.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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When DeSantis first ran for Governor in 2018, Florida was experiencing headline-grabbing environmental problems ranging from fish-killing red tides and toxic algae blooms to manatee die-offs and invasive species that were alarming residents and giving tourists pause.—
Chris Dorsey,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Long term, some economists worry the back-and-forth on tariffs could strain relationships between the U.S. and its trading partners.—
Bailey Schulz,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
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Yet threats to use nuclear weapons from Russia and North Korea, and even from the U.S. president, have worried many.—
Alan Robock,
Scientific American,
8 May 2025
Verb
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This episode raises fundamental questions beyond Harvard concerning the Constitution and the meaning of education.—
Larry P. Arnn,
National Review,
3 May 2025
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As far as this season is concerned, the Dodgers’ main priority will be letting his shoulder calm down, then working with him to try and find tweaks to his delivery.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
Verb
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Are there certain external factors or stimuli that are more likely to agitate someone with dementia?—
Christopher Bergland,
Verywell Health,
24 Apr. 2025
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Stop the Chop, a group organized to reduce helicopter noise, has been agitating for several years to ban nonessential helicopters from flying over the New York metropolitan area.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettle. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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