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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsettling
EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
But when pressed to acknowledge that some viewers might find that very perfection unsettling, Zemeckis concedes that the effect might require a small leap of imagination.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Related Video Katy Perry Gets Ready for the Balenciaga Show in Paris
Funny in the best sense of the word, though—as well as the unsettling one.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2024
As autumn settles in, bringing with it the familiar comforts of pumpkin-spiced beverages and cool, crisp air, an unsettling undercurrent of anxiety pervades the American workforce.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unsettling 
Adjective
Making things especially unsettling, their eyes could be seen peeping out of the creatures' necks.
—EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
But when pressed to acknowledge that some viewers might find that very perfection unsettling, Zemeckis concedes that the effect might require a small leap of imagination.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Related Video Katy Perry Gets Ready for the Balenciaga Show in Paris
Funny in the best sense of the word, though—as well as the unsettling one.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2024
As autumn settles in, bringing with it the familiar comforts of pumpkin-spiced beverages and cool, crisp air, an unsettling undercurrent of anxiety pervades the American workforce.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unsettling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling
Adjective
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The issue is complicated by the fact that those on X likely see Musk's posts with almost disturbing regularity.Peter Suciu, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
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And in one particularly disturbing scene, Oliver gets intoxicated, begins repeatedly hitting himself in the face and rushes toward the balcony sobbing.August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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That raises uneasy questions about Worthington’s social fabric and how to celebrate distinct cultures while overcoming ethnic self-segregation.Giovanna Dell'orto, Twin Cities, 31 Oct. 2024
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Apostates ties hunters with these organizations more closely as uneasy allies, rivals or even direct antagonists.Rob Wieland, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Blowing late-game leads had become a troubling trend for the Clippers this season, which pushed their first five games down to the wire.Janis Carr, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024
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Rising Arrests Amidst Tensions Woodland's situation is emblematic of a troubling trend: the increasing arrest of American citizens in Russia while relations between Moscow and Washington reach post-Cold War lows.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Double Feature Paddington 2 Another great villainous role for Hugh Grant, though not quite as tense, is in Paul King’s Paddington sequel.Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
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Then, Indian troops moved into the area to block China – sparking a tense, 73-day standoff that threatened to pitch the rivals into conflict.Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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This also avoids a brightness instability problem that can afflict the TV’s Standard mode, where the image suffers distracting brightness ‘jumps’ or ‘drops’ when an HDR image cuts abruptly between bright and dark shots.John Archer, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
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The boy’s life is organized around distracting himself, especially since his mother (Jodie Whittaker) works long days and nights as a nurse.Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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For example, people often dodge screenings and diagnostic tests to avoid the frightening possibility of discovering cancer.Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
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Demi Moore is sharing scary photos of a frightening side of her character in the body horror movie The Substance.Tim Lammers, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Boutin has been in remission from thyroid cancer since August, but just had a related surgery last week and the couple was anxious about Boutin inhaling any smoke.CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Lines at downtown precincts were busy and people who have been inundated with out-of-town organizers and ads for months could be heard speculating about the results on their cellphones, anxious to see a conclusion to the contest.Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The hilarity of people worrying about toy safety/propriety is timeless.Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
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Of course, the relationship could be less about the oil price itself and more about investors worrying over the burgeoning conflict between Iran and Israel.Jesse Pound, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unsettling
Cite this Entry
“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettling. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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