disquiet

1 of 3

verb

dis·​qui·​et (ˌ)dis-ˈkwī-ət 

disquieted; disquieting; disquiets

transitive verb

: to take away the peace or tranquility of : disturb, alarm

were disquieted by recent events

disquieting adjective

disquietingly

(ˌ)dis-ˈkwī-ə-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

disquiet

2 of 3

noun

: lack of peace or tranquility : anxiety

great disquiet among shareholders

disquiet

3 of 3

adjective

archaic

: uneasy, disquieted

disquietly adverb

Synonyms

Verb

• agitate
• ail
• alarm
• alarum
• bother
• concern
• derail
• discomfort
• discompose
• dismay
• distemper
• distract
• distress
• disturb
• exercise
• flurry
• frazzle
• freak (out)
• fuss
• hagride
• perturb
• undo
• unhinge
• unsettle
• upset
• weird out
• worry

Noun

• ferment
• fermentation
• restiveness
• restlessness
• Sturm und Drang
• turmoil
• uneasiness
• unquietness
• unrest

Choose the Right Synonym for disquiet

discompose, disquiet, disturb, perturb, agitate, upset, fluster mean to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action.

discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

Examples of disquiet in a Sentence

Verb

we were disquieted by the strange noises we heard outside our tent at night

Noun

There is increasing public disquiet about the number of violent crimes in the city.

a period of disquiet before the results of the close election were confirmed

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Many here see her as the embodiment of an America undergoing a cultural shift that threatens the heritage and political sensibilities of an old frontier town disquieted by changing times and suspicious of alternative lifestyles. —Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2024

One of Biden’s challenges is that some of the Black men who are paying close attention in Macon are deeply disquieted by the influx of migrants at the U.S.’s southern border and the amount of money that his administration has committed to stopping Russia’s war in Ukraine. —Maeve Reston, Washington Post, 30 June 2024

Noun

Both reflect the internal disquiet and rage that result from despair—in particular despair arising from scrutiny of dominant power structures—whether within governments, communities, or families. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 25 Sep. 2024

And yet there have been signs of disquiet in the Python kingdom. —Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2024

Adjective

Despairing audiences took to social media to voice disquiet about a show that had already attracted a decent fan base and performed well in the Netflix top 10s. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2024

The Reuters report actually said that the IDF forces in the hospital included medical teams and Arabic speakers; Cohen’s report comes amid increasing disquiet about the BBC’s reporting of the Israel-Hamas war as well as its response to antisemitism. —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1581, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1582, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

disquiet

1 of 2 verb

dis·​qui·​et (ˈ)dis-ˈkwī-ət 

: to make uneasy or restless : disturb

disquietingly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb

disquiet

2 of 2 noun

: an uneasy feeling