ˌən-ˈset-liŋ
1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
had the unsettling task of picking out a coffin and making the other funeral arrangements for his father
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in alarming
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsettling
Mia Taylor, Parents, 16 Jan. 2025
All of David Lynch’s projects are disturbing and brain-scrambling to varying degrees — but in real life, tales about the director exude far more warmth as opposed to being unsettling.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2025
That can be unsettling, but keep in mind, that adaptation is key under new leadership.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
For Bill Self, the year 2025 started on a rather unsettling note.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unsettling 
Adjective
The findings of that effort were equally unsettling and included identifying 1.83 million unique pieces of extremist or hateful content, including explicitly antisemitic symbols.
—Mia Taylor, Parents, 16 Jan. 2025
All of David Lynch’s projects are disturbing and brain-scrambling to varying degrees — but in real life, tales about the director exude far more warmth as opposed to being unsettling.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2025
That can be unsettling, but keep in mind, that adaptation is key under new leadership.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
For Bill Self, the year 2025 started on a rather unsettling note.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unsettling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling
Adjective
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This is a dark and disturbing script that, circa 1996, would have been better handled by Darren Aronofsky or David Fincher.—
Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante,
EW.com,
27 Jan. 2025
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Nakamura, the father, was interned along with his Japanese American family during WWII, a shameful and disturbing period in 20th-century American history that has never been fully acknowledged or dealt with on a national level.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Add Vargas to the long list of Americans who have been uneasy about TikTok’s future.—
Jeff Gluck,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
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For all of their uneasy gazing and silent discernment, artful visages are a key element in the decor.—
Leilani Marie Labong,
Architectural Digest,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This gender disparity is particularly troubling given that 79% of working women—compared with 58% of working men—are in occupations susceptible to generative AI disruption.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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Those tapes, and Sampson’s 38-page criminal history — including charges never even pursued by prosecutors — raise some troubling questions about the conduct of the city’s police officers.—
JULIE K. BROWN,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Saturday’s Big 12 headliner should be a physical, tense and narrow affair.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
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These chips are at the center of a tense technological competition between the United States and China.—
Cade Metz,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This is a clever way to offer a dual-screen experience without the flaws inherent to current dual-screen laptops, including distracting hinges and designs with questionable durability.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
7 Jan. 2025
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In a car, this could be used to hide distracting entertainment displays from the driver while passengers are able to see information such as music playlists or calendar alerts, for example.—
Barry Collins,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Listen to this article California’s blazing wildfires and last year’s destructive hurricanes in the Southeast are frightening examples of the dramatic impacts of climate change.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2025
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Coming full circle, the FBI also warned users to beware this frightening new threat in a special advisory last month.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For example, someone not willing to open up to you about certain aspects of their personal life can be interpreted as personal rejection, which may trigger defensive or anxious behaviors.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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More than a few have faced foreclosure, leaving owners anxious about the need to get tenants back in their buildings or find another use for the millions of unused square feet.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Overweight and obesity need to be treated safely and effectively to avoid that worrying forecast.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
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Bitcoin has dropping back from its all-time high of over $100,000 in the last week as BlackRock quietly confirmed a worrying bitcoin bombshell.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unsettling
Cite this Entry
“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettling. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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