disturbing
adjective
dis·turb·ing
di-ˈstər-biŋ 
: causing feelings of worry, concern, or anxiety
disturbing news
a disturbing discovery
The next phase in which I had a part was even more disturbing, and infinitely more painful.—
Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
disturbingly
adverb
disturbingly high levels of pollution
a disturbingly familiar problem
… the texture of ordinary life and talk has taken on a disturbingly ambiguous quality …
—Jonathan Raban
Jonathan Raban
Examples of disturbing in a Sentence
a disturbing visit by the next-door neighbor while I was trying to study
there was a disturbing silence as I struggled to remember her name
a disturbing trend in the nation's energy consumption
a disturbing pause in the normally smooth operation of the machinery
Recent Examples on the Web
As the suspect accused of killing two doctoral students in Florida faces murder charges, authorities have laid out disturbing and grisly details surrounding the students’ disappearance.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Johnson finds a disturbing manuscript raising questions about the author’s mental state.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Once inside the Crawford home, Lowen becomes entangled with Verity’s husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett) and uncovers an unfinished manuscript that may reveal disturbing truths about the author.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
The level of attention and intensity surrounding everything this president says or does is disturbing, frankly.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
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Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Johnson finds a disturbing manuscript raising questions about the author’s mental state.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Once inside the Crawford home, Lowen becomes entangled with Verity’s husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett) and uncovers an unfinished manuscript that may reveal disturbing truths about the author.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
The level of attention and intensity surrounding everything this president says or does is disturbing, frankly.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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