unsettling

1 of 2

adjective

un·​set·​tling
ˌən-ˈset-liŋ, 
-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce unsettling (audio)
Synonyms of unsettling
: 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

unsettling

2 of 2

present participle of unsettle

Synonyms of unsettling

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Adjective

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Examples of unsettling in a Sentence

Adjective 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.
Adjective
The tiny farming settlement of Poilley, in Brittany, would become her home for the next eight years, and the subject of more than 50,000 intimate, often unsettling photographs. — Felix Bazalgette, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026 And an overture from an ABC exec (Jessica Hecht) to Andie to jump ship represents another kind of unsettling grooming. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026 Many people find that unsettling, regardless of political party. — Meg Anderson, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026 Seeing a supermassive black hole up close is a spectacular, if unsettling, thought, but that’s not the only oddity to be seen from S301. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsettling

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsettling was in 1665

Rhymes for unsettling

See All Rhymes for unsettling

Browse Nearby Words

unsettlement
unsettling
unsevered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettling. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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