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

Trading at lofty valuations, even a slight miss on the revenue forecast was enough to unsettle investors. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025

Today, movies and TV intended for the biggest audience possible often water down their storytelling and generalize in order to avoid anything that might challenge, frighten or unsettle the audience. —Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 30 May 2025

Trump’s erratic trade war has already unsettled consumers and taken a toll on economic growth — mostly due to American businesses rushing to stock up on imports. —Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 May 2025

Trump’s trade wars have unsettled investors and shaken the bond market in recent weeks. —Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Quartz, 27 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for unsettle

• betel
• cetyl
• kettle
• metal
• mettle
• nettle
• petal
• setal
• settle
• diacetyl
• gunmetal
• nonmetal

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