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

They were rightly disquieted by other trends that have marked the Indian economy in recent years, including high unemployment, wage stagnation, flattening levels of consumption, and widening inequality. —Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 14 June 2024

David also was disquieted by his brother’s familiarity with the places that had been targeted by the Unabomber. —Steve Chawkins, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2023

Noun

In Indianapolis’ Marion County and suburban vote-rich Hamilton County, Haley won an impressive 34% of the vote as affluent and well-educated Republican areas continued to show signs of disquiet with Trump. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024

Governments in Europe will be able to address the growing disquiet in rural communities only by adopting more policies that target the needs of specific communities, account for the demands and needs of rural residents, and include these residents in decision-making processes. —Marie Hyland, Foreign Affairs, 23 May 2024

Adjective

In short, his intervention symbolizes how disquiet over Israel-Gaza has shaken even the most ardent supporters of the BBC. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 June 2024

Their purpose was not just, as some imagine, secret denunciation but also open protest; the authorities would witness the disquiet, register the grievance, and then, possibly, do something about it. —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 June 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