unsettle
verb
un·set·tle
ˌən-ˈse-tᵊl 
unsettled; unsettling; unsettles
1
: to loosen or move from a settled state or condition : make unstable : disorder
2
: to perturb or agitate mentally or emotionally : discompose
: to become unsettled
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
Believe in your authentic value, in your own development—don't let trends unsettle you.
—
Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Bright Osayi-Samuel came on in his place, but the disruption unsettled Nigeria, and South Africa seized the initiative.
—Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Reuters — Ethiopia officially inaugurated Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam on Tuesday, a project that will provide energy to millions of Ethiopians while deepening a rift with downstream Egypt that has unsettled the region.
—CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Through it all, what unsettled me in those places was the fragility of trust between armed patrols and the civilians around them — the uneasy sense that one spark could undo any tenuous stability.
—Eric Chastain, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
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Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Bright Osayi-Samuel came on in his place, but the disruption unsettled Nigeria, and South Africa seized the initiative.
—Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Reuters — Ethiopia officially inaugurated Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam on Tuesday, a project that will provide energy to millions of Ethiopians while deepening a rift with downstream Egypt that has unsettled the region.
—CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Through it all, what unsettled me in those places was the fragility of trust between armed patrols and the civilians around them — the uneasy sense that one spark could undo any tenuous stability.
—Eric Chastain, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Cite this Entry
“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettle. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unsettle
verb
un·set·tle
ˌən-ˈset-ᵊl
ˈən-
1
: to move or loosen from a settled state
2
: to make uneasy
change unsettles him
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