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Definition of disquietnext
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disquiet

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb disquiet contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of disquiet are agitate, discompose, disturb, fluster, perturb, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

In what contexts can agitate take the place of disquiet?

While the synonyms agitate and disquiet are close in meaning, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

When might discompose be a better fit than disquiet?

Although the words discompose and disquiet have much in common, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When is disturb a more appropriate choice than disquiet?

The words disturb and disquiet can be used in similar contexts, but disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Where would fluster be a reasonable alternative to disquiet?

The meanings of fluster and disquiet largely overlap; however, fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When could perturb be used to replace disquiet?

The synonyms perturb and disquiet are sometimes interchangeable, but perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

When can upset be used instead of disquiet?

The words upset and disquiet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disquiet
Noun
But for outside observers and former military officials, those calls and conversations are an indication of a troubling disquiet within the ranks. Tom Bowman, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026 Curbs on free speech only add to the disquiet. Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
To say that Nicholas did not share his father’s politics is an understatement, but much of his bibliography can be seen as a reckoning with his father’s unsettling career in politics and disquieting legacy. Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026 The subjects say rending but also disquieting things about killing. Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disquiet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disquiet
Noun
  • Gold is a safe-haven asset that investors gravitate toward when economic and political turmoil erupts, sending waves through the markets.
    Liz Knueven, CNBC, 4 June 2026
  • The new sanctions come as the administration is updating war plans to respond to potential turmoil on the island and after the Justice Department charged Raúl Castro for the murder of four people in the 1996 shootdown of two planes of the exile organization Brothers to the Rescue.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Analysts have previously expressed concern that US stocks of the interceptors have been depleted by the Iran conflict as well as by last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and noted that manufacturing more takes time.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
  • Those concerns that chopped 30% off cyber stocks earlier this year could not have been more wrong, as Jim Cramer had said all along.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • The ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has alarmed global public health experts over the ferocity of the spread in the remote and heavily populated region.
    Jane Weaver, NBC news, 29 May 2026
  • At a moment when surveillance technologies are increasingly weaponized against our communities, Albany’s latest proposal should alarm every New Yorker.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • Madonna has made music through various calamities that at the time felt world-ending — wars, political unrest, financial collapse — so the terrors of 2026 don’t seem to faze her.
    Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
  • But its popularity didn’t spread beyond the northern Spanish city until the domestic unrest that had blighted the Basque region dissipated in the 2010s.
    Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • All of my rage and fear and wonder.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
  • The computing power needs, the competition from Anthropic, the potential for a more business-to-business stream of revenue, the fear that all of the big institutions that own it will want to cash out, makes this one plain fraught.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • Considering its reputation and its placement on the World’s Best List, the clientele tends to be very international so those who don’t speak French need not worry.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
  • Many of his fellow Republicans might find his campaign, as outlined to a reporter Wednesday, to be worrying on closer examination.
    Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • The constant movement might make some audience members dizzy, yet its jitteriness signifies the anxiety and unease of the characters, both in their skin and with each other.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 25 May 2026
  • All that party infighting — present before every primary, but at a fever pitch now — comes against a backdrop of broader voter unease about the war in Iran, volatile oil and gas prices, and the burgeoning threat of AI to the American workforce.
    Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Noun
  • Schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, anxiety, depression – all of these topics are almost global bestsellers.
    Jon LaPook, CBS News, 31 May 2026
  • While menopause is biological, many of the symptoms associated with it, including sleep disruption, anxiety, mood instability, brain fog, and fatigue, can also be amplified by chronic stress and nervous system overload.
    Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disquiet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disquiet. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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