unsettle

verb

un·​set·​tle ˌən-ˈse-tᵊl How to pronounce unsettle (audio)
unsettled; unsettling; unsettles

transitive verb

1
: to loosen or move from a settled state or condition : make unstable : disorder
2
: to perturb or agitate mentally or emotionally : discompose

Examples of unsettle in a Sentence

Such a sudden change will unsettle her. the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers
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.
The Almanac said the Southwest, including California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona, could experience unsettled, showery conditions on Halloween this year. Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025 By the late 1800s, in one of their many acts of unsettling America’s natural balance, white men had hunted wolves and mountain lions to extinction in the East. Helen Whybrow july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025 Meanwhile, rising authoritarianism, shifting national alliances and economic jolts unsettled the world. Valerie L. Myers, The Conversation, 3 July 2025 But states, immigrants and rights groups that have sued to block the executive order have accused the administration of trying to unsettle the broader understanding of birthright citizenship that has been accepted since the amendment's adoption. Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsettle

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsettle was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettle. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

unsettle

verb
un·​set·​tle ˌən-ˈset-ᵊl How to pronounce unsettle (audio)
ˈən-
1
: to move or loosen from a settled state
2
: to make uneasy
change unsettles him

More from Merriam-Webster on unsettle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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