unsettling

adjective

un·​set·​tling

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ, 

-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ 

: having the effect of upsetting, disturbing, or discomposing

unsettling images of the war

unsettlingly

ˌən-ˈset-liŋ-lē, 

-ˈse-tᵊl-iŋ- 

adverb

Synonyms of unsettling

• disturbing
• troubling
• frightening

Examples of unsettling in a Sentence

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

This was all unsettling in its own right. —Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026

Still, things are unsettling here. —Jen Chaney, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026

The story centers on a woman grappling with grief and memory while mysterious disappearances begin to blur the line between reality and something more unsettling. —Stephanie Hope, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

But the intention is to create a new generation of horror films that draw from the unsettling power, psychological intensity, and cinematic ambition that made J-horror a defining force in global genre filmmaking. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsettling

• settling
• resettling