as in to disturb
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the news that the local grocery store had sold contaminated produce unsettled many shoppers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 unsettle
That creative arena—the one Twain opened up by writing a book that hasn’t finished becoming itself—is one of the few things in American culture that remain usefully unsettled.
—
Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
They, too, have been unsettled by Mr. Trump’s tariff offensive, his dismissal of allies as freeloaders, and his reluctance to support Ukraine.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
His outlandish statements about Gaza have unsettled them.
—Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2025
Inexplicably, Kohli was unsettled by the dismissal of young opener Jaiswal and poked at one to nick behind.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
They, too, have been unsettled by Mr. Trump’s tariff offensive, his dismissal of allies as freeloaders, and his reluctance to support Ukraine.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
His outlandish statements about Gaza have unsettled them.
—Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2025
Inexplicably, Kohli was unsettled by the dismissal of young opener Jaiswal and poked at one to nick behind.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsettle
Verb
-
Beaches aren’t typically hotspots for these kinds of fossils unless something is disturbing the seafloor nearby and carrying the remains to shore.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
However, some 3,000 years ago—around the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age—newcomers to the area disturbed the burial site by removing parts of the mound and displacing stones.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Growth must reinforce strategy, not distract from it.—
Ayo Adepoju,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
-
But when the pair get to a higher point in order to try to see where the Wolves are/where Tommy might be, Ellie is distracted by a nearby aquarium, which has a giant ferris wheel nearby.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
25 May 2025
Verb
-
After years of ‘losing culture,’ can the new-look Chicago Bears turn things around on defense? Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard didn’t bother mincing words.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
-
The walk, only his second this month, bothered him.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, in an email, said that he was alarmed by the decision to cut the funding, adding that many Missourians in need of behavioral health care come to Kansas City.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
23 May 2025
-
The warning follows a concerning rise in measles cases nationally, with a significant outbreak in Texas that has alarmed public health officials.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
One thing Salmon didn’t have to worry about before Monday’s game was having support.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
-
In 1956, a survey of over 2,000 professors showed that 61% had been contacted by the FBI; 40% worried that students might misrepresent their politics; and about a quarter would not express their views for fear of the government.—
Time,
Time,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
Regulators and watchdogs have also long been concerned about donations from individuals with ties to foreign interests.—
Brian Slodysko,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
-
Overnight, officials were primarily concerned with high levels of volcanic gas such as water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide that can have far-reaching effects downwind.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Some Israeli officials have agitated for Israel to rebuild Jewish settlements in the enclave, but Mr. Netanyahu has rebuffed the prospect for now.—
Samuel Granados,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
-
Moderate and battleground-district Republicans are pushing back on threats to Medicaid, while conservatives and budget hawks are agitating for deeper cuts.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
5 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsettle. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share