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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsettle
Each of these areas of my life plays a key role and contributes to my sense of purpose and normalcy, grounding me, especially when everything feels unsettled.
—
Revathi Advaithi, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Firing the Fed chief would unsettle the entire financial world.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
This interesting instrument, called DESI, has now delivered a surprise big enough to unsettle decades of assumptions in physics.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2025
That unsettled even families with permanent legal status, said Rae Cardenas, executive director of Doyle Community Center in Kerrville, Texas.
—Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Revathi Advaithi, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Firing the Fed chief would unsettle the entire financial world.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
This interesting instrument, called DESI, has now delivered a surprise big enough to unsettle decades of assumptions in physics.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2025
That unsettled even families with permanent legal status, said Rae Cardenas, executive director of Doyle Community Center in Kerrville, Texas.
—Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettle
Verb
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Vic and Cali hadn’t wanted a wedding, but this had disturbed Vic’s parents.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
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Two players take on the roles of a brother and sister who are searching for their missing buddies on an island inhabited by some rather disturbing monsters.—
Joshua Lamb,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That will distract any views of the neighbors’ patios or houses that might linger until the shrubs fill in.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
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Some medications can help distract the brain, and those are usually tried first.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The acting didn’t bother me, but the directing did.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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If the odds of winning the lottery are so low, why do people bother playing?—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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China's nuclear arsenal has especially alarmed Washington and its allies.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
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The tackling was alarming enough that the Broncos were practicing on Monday with live tackles, something that’s not seen too often once the season starts.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Not knowing much about the condition, Mares-Sedillo worried that her face would be permanently altered.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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The condition's most severe symptoms are sensitivities to spices, salt, and sweets, which means there's no reason to worry about a geographic tongue diagnosis.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On the other hand, standing idly by while a kid makes concerning choices can feel like an abdication of parental responsibility.—
Russell Shaw,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
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At least as far as public opinion is concerned, voting by mail is here to stay.—
Karlyn Bowman,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If the leaves are especially dirty, soak in cold water, gently agitating them to loosen dirt and grit.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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In her autobiography, Gibson wrote about biding her time rather than choosing to agitate.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettle. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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