unsettle

verb

un·​set·​tle ˌən-ˈse-tᵊl 

unsettled; unsettling; unsettles

transitive verb

1

: to loosen or move from a settled state or condition : make unstable : disorder

2

: to perturb or agitate mentally or emotionally : discompose

intransitive verb

: to become unsettled

Synonyms

• agitate
• ail
• alarm
• alarum
• bother
• concern
• derail
• discomfort
• discompose
• dismay
• disquiet
• distemper
• distract
• distress
• disturb
• exercise
• flurry
• frazzle
• freak (out)
• fuss
• hagride
• perturb
• undo
• unhinge
• upset
• weird out
• worry

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

Drones sightings across New Jersey have unsettled residents for weeks with no official explanations being offered. —Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 15 Dec. 2024

Perhaps the most striking example of the corps’ unique position, one that unsettled many of the island’s planter class, was its legal representation. —Kinsey Gidick, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024

The prospect has unsettled European businesses, where exports play a crucial role in driving growth and sustaining jobs. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

The investigation has unsettled investors, contributing to a 2.7% drop in NVIDIA’s stock price, which was already under pressure from broader market volatility. —Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids 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