as in disturbingly
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Recent Examples of unsettlingly
In these 2-foot-square pictures, long-haired nude female figures in close Edenic companionship with wild beasts poke their heads out from behind lush tropical foliage, and stare, unsettlingly, straight outward.
—
Benjamin Lima, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
There is a curious absence of any patience in exploring the forces shaping their unsettlingly growing worldview.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
The book blends reportage, moral inquiry, and political analysis in a way that still feels unsettlingly contemporary fifty-four years after it was published.
—Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s unsettlingly close—and undeniably bold—bond throughout the Wicked press tour has become its own cultural phenomenon, complete with headlines, memes, and dating rumors.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 11 Dec. 2025
When her daughter had an unsettlingly similar experience at her own school years later, Wilson finally decided to act on the longtime dream of starting her own school.
—Nashville Tennessean, 3 Dec. 2025
Equal parts absurd and unsettlingly real, the film traces the $3 billion active shooter preparedness industry and its effect on students and educators, raising important questions about the unintended consequences of these intense preparations.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Grand pianos and half-full liquor bottles collect dust, while colorful children’s playrooms scattered with toys are unsettlingly idle.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Which, unsettlingly, is correct.
—Peter J. Frank, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2025
Benjamin Lima, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
There is a curious absence of any patience in exploring the forces shaping their unsettlingly growing worldview.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
The book blends reportage, moral inquiry, and political analysis in a way that still feels unsettlingly contemporary fifty-four years after it was published.
—Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s unsettlingly close—and undeniably bold—bond throughout the Wicked press tour has become its own cultural phenomenon, complete with headlines, memes, and dating rumors.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 11 Dec. 2025
When her daughter had an unsettlingly similar experience at her own school years later, Wilson finally decided to act on the longtime dream of starting her own school.
—Nashville Tennessean, 3 Dec. 2025
Equal parts absurd and unsettlingly real, the film traces the $3 billion active shooter preparedness industry and its effect on students and educators, raising important questions about the unintended consequences of these intense preparations.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Grand pianos and half-full liquor bottles collect dust, while colorful children’s playrooms scattered with toys are unsettlingly idle.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Which, unsettlingly, is correct.
—Peter J. Frank, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettlingly
Adverb
-
There is often tension between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but to make this kind of public accusation – that his mother behaved in a narcissistic, controlling and disturbingly sexualised way – is unforgivable.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Kirk grasped how the internet has changed America, but his death has demonstrated—and, disturbingly, may have resulted from—the fundamentally anarchic nature of those changes.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Night sweats are alarmingly common, affecting up to 41% of the population, and people between the ages of 41 and 55 are the most susceptible.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Sometimes the dance floor is alarmingly sticky.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
22 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The pipeline of new antibiotics remains distressingly thin, and most drugs currently in development are structurally similar to existing antibiotics, potentially limiting their effectiveness.—
André O. Hudson,
The Conversation,
21 Jan. 2026
-
That can be forgiven thanks to the film’s evocative imagery and the emotional resonance of its central themes, distressingly familiar to anyone who has ever lost themselves in a relationship.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
Free speech has become a major liability in a disgustingly litigious society.—
Jesse Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
-
These include those who disgustingly celebrated the murder of Brian Thompson and all but beatified his alleged assassin, and those who made light of and mocked the attack on Pelosi’s family and the Minnesota lawmakers.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
No Diego Luna for Best Actor, no Stellan Skarsgård for Best Supporting Actor, no Elizabeth Dulau for Best Supporting Actress, and, most irritatingly of all, no Genevieve O’Reilly for Best Actress.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
-
Sennott and her costars speak with an irritatingly fake affect, are shallower than a puddle in the desert and prize selfishness, indolence and artifice.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
But for me, the whole process—taking everything off the bed, washing all the pieces, and finding a place to store it all—is annoyingly tedious.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Despite striking a nerve in Beijing and around the world, the product’s concept is annoyingly good.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
31 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
That last part can be awfully hard to do.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
With so many decisions to make, the Chiefs would have to get awfully creative to extend cornerback Trent McDuffie (who is entering the final year of his contract), which is why his name has floated in trade hypotheticals.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Hopefully just not as traumatically — although Holly’s already had a slightly traumatic childhood.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Unsettlingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettlingly. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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