UNSETTLING Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

unsettling 1 of 2

adjective

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ

Definition of unsettling

as in disturbing

causing worry or anxiety unsettling new developments in the effort to bring peace and stability to that region

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unsettling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of unsettle

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

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.

Recent Examples of unsettling

Adjective

The script is generally funny and romantic but can also get unsettling. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026 Set against the remote, insular world of its titular island, production designer Steve Arnold and set decorator Jennifer Engel created a lived-in, slightly stuck in time and, when necessary, deeply unsettling environment. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026

Verb

However unsettling these jactitations appear, the open world remains the happiest and freest place to live. — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 In her first four months on the job, the new CEO of New York Public Radio has swiftly eliminated many of its seniormost figures, surprising the organization’s staff and unsettling some of its remaining leaders. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsettling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettling

Adjective

The disturbing incident comes amidst a sharp increase in both felony and misdemeanor assaults in the subway system.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
The story follows a husband and wife who buy their dream ranch only to discover the land is alive with ancient spirits, and survival means submitting to increasingly disturbing rituals with each turn of the season.

— Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

Security will remain in place at the schools, officials said, and counselors will be available for students who feel uneasy about attending classes.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
But that blend of raucous laughs (OK, well, some raucous laughs, some mere attempts at them) and real world concerns makes for an uneasy watch, ping-ponging between moods and tones in unpredictable ways.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of uneasy

Verb

The development proved alarming enough that OpenAI vowed last week to slow the release of its upcoming Astra AI model.

— Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026
Found in many foods For consumers, of course, the latest food safety concerns can be alarming given that lettuce and jalapeño peppers are used in many of the roughly 1 billion meals Americans consume daily.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of alarming

Adjective

Looking for a way to prove his value, Jackson instead discovers troubling research from the company’s own climate scientists projecting a rapid rise in global temperatures.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
For a brief period Wednesday, the president set aside more troubling issues to revel in his role as White House redeveloper.

— Dan Diamond, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of troubling

Verb

Women were made to feel that their bodies were somehow offensive, distracting, or inconvenient.

— Robin Givhan, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026
Now, a cross-sectional study based on a registry of fatal US motor vehicle crashes has found that the love of her albums may have even contributed a statistically significant bump in deadly traffic accidents, presumably by distracting drivers.

— Mike McRae August 18, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of distracting

Adjective

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit has proved to be a treacherous one, and that was highlighted in a frightening crash involving a pair of drivers early in the race.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
And because cognition is so closely tied to a person’s sense of competence and identity, those changes can be surprisingly frightening.

— Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

Being anxious or nervous about this big step in your career is very normal.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Super teams share prompts openly, coached by leaders who use the tools themselves, which leaves them markedly less anxious about AI displacing their jobs.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of anxious

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unsettles

unsettling

unsettlingly

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“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettling. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of unsettling

adjective

verb

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