unsettling

adjective

un·​set·​tling
ˌən-ˈset-liŋ,
-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce unsettling (audio)
Synonyms of unsettlingnext
: having the effect of upsetting, disturbing, or discomposing
unsettling images of the war
unsettlingly
ˌən-ˈset-liŋ-lē
-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ- How to pronounce unsettling (audio)
adverb

Synonyms

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Examples of unsettling in a Sentence

unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region had the unsettling task of picking out a coffin and making the other funeral arrangements for his father
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Squeezing into the narrow confines, the clang of the metal doors closing and the nearness of their neighbors can be unsettling, if not downright dangerous. — Dana O'Neil, New York Times, 3 May 2025 That's unsettling for Mobile native Darron Patterson. — Debbie Elliott, NPR, 1 May 2025 But the encounter was deeply unsettling for Shifu, who is known to be reactive toward unfamiliar dogs after previous attacks. — Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 When the writer Amanda Hess was pregnant, her son was given an unsettling diagnosis. — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsettling

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsettling was in 1665

Rhymes for unsettling

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Browse Nearby Words

unsettlement
unsettling
unsevered
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Cite this Entry

“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettling. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

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