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
Synonyms
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
While the Eagles triumphed 22-10, advancing to the NFC Divisional Round, the victory was overshadowed by the disturbing exchange in the stands.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
The disturbing new figures are inching close to the same number of people — 1.5 million— who were internally displaced by Haiti’s cataclysmic earthquake, which struck 15 years ago on Jan. 12, 2010.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025
The Peekskill Central School District in New York is warning families of a disturbing new scam in which criminals use generative artificial intelligence to mimic children’s voices in an attempt to extort money from unsuspecting parents.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
This week, nearly six decades later, the lyrics took on a disturbing resonance as the structure where the music originated burned to the ground.
—Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for disturbing 
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Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
The disturbing new figures are inching close to the same number of people — 1.5 million— who were internally displaced by Haiti’s cataclysmic earthquake, which struck 15 years ago on Jan. 12, 2010.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025
The Peekskill Central School District in New York is warning families of a disturbing new scam in which criminals use generative artificial intelligence to mimic children’s voices in an attempt to extort money from unsuspecting parents.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
This week, nearly six decades later, the lyrics took on a disturbing resonance as the structure where the music originated burned to the ground.
—Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for disturbing
Dictionary Entries Near disturbing
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbing. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
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