unsettle

verb

ˌən-ˈse-tᵊl How to pronounce unsettle (audio)
Definition of unsettlenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unsettle Big and broad, with no sign of Jaguar’s traditional curves, the Type 01 is a fully electric four-door grand tourer that may unsettle fans of the manufacturer’s previously heritage-heavy image. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 And with the Yankees’ future at second base very much unsettled, that ride might not be over. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 All this solar weather will keep conditions unsettled to active over the next few days. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 The war unsettled the region, paved the way for the rise of ISIS, and triggered a cascade of violence that continues to this day. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettle
  1. disturb
  2. distract
  3. bother
  4. alarm
  5. worry
  6. concern
  7. agitate
Verb
  • She was especially disturbed by the emotional vulnerability that someone could exploit when a person believes a relationship is genuine.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Police Chief Paul Joseph said at a press conference on Tuesday that Lieu had a criminal history involving firearms and disturbing behavior.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • Elsewhere Citroën is banking on retro-chic styling to distract consumers from the vehicle's minimalism.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026
  • For Bajaria, the brief opportunity to own a legacy studio didn’t distract from her core mission.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of distract
Verb
  • Palo Alto Networks did that after buying [Israeli startup] CyberArk, but why would most companies bother?
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • That woman was truly unbothered, a term tossed around online, but the literal act of not being bothered is impossible for most people beyond the quirkiest, like my onetime neighbor, or maybe Fran Lebowitz.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bother
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
  • The symptom that alarmed me most in that moment was the progressive skin wrinkling in some NCBRS teens.
    — Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarm
Verb
  • More than half of people using AI at work worried that using it on important tasks would create exactly that impression.
    — Christoph Trattner, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Opponents worry that the changes would mean less money getting invested in rural housing, precisely when housing affordability issues are hitting those areas the hardest.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • As for Adebayo, the Heat doesn’t seem to concerned about his groin issue.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Unions are concerned the bots — which Simbe claims can save employees up to 50 hours of work per week — could put human employees out of work.
    — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of concern
Verb
  • Reyes believes the pair agitated the dog, who reacted in self-defense.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • But while the calls to resign or step aside have waned, many are still agitating for change.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of agitate

Browse Nearby Words

unserviceable
unsettle
unsettled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettle. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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