1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
a disturbing visit by the next-door neighbor while I was trying to study
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2
as in embarrassing
causing embarrassment
there was a disturbing silence as I struggled to remember her name
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3
as in unsettling
causing worry or anxiety
a disturbing trend in the nation's energy consumption
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4
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a disturbing pause in the normally smooth operation of the machinery
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1
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
all that talk of war disturbed us
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2
as in removing
to change the place or position of
the items on her desk had been disturbed by someone
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3
as in disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
her careful filing system is sure to be disturbed during the move
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4
as in bothering
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
sorry to disturb you while you're working
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5
as in troubling
to cause discomfort to or trouble for
please do not disturb yourself—I'll get my own drink
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of disturbing
EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Driving the news: The pig infection marked a disturbing turn in an outbreak that began earlier this year in dairy cows and has spread to dairy herds in at least 14 states and infected 39 people.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disturbing 
Adjective
Outside of the Live bubble, other celebrity Halloween costumes this year included Janelle Monáe's disturbing getup as E.T., Halle Bailey dressing up as her name twin Halle Berry, and Drag Race star Jinkx Monsoon as legendary Pokémon Jynx (naturally).
—EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Driving the news: The pig infection marked a disturbing turn in an outbreak that began earlier this year in dairy cows and has spread to dairy herds in at least 14 states and infected 39 people.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
Avoid disturbing the basal leaves by cutting stems 2 to 3 inches above the soil line.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disturbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbing
Adjective
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This is expected on hybrids, battery-electric vehicles and plug-ins as the brakes first must work through the regenerative motion, but this can become annoying with a traditional setup.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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All those annoying texts and calls should stop after today.Carl Weiser, The Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Failure would be deeply embarrassing and, more pressingly, dangerous for the planet.Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
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The final piece of the puzzle snaps into place as the gang attends a party thrown by Mac’s friend and former producer Roya (Haven Burton), who happens to own the monkey that gave Mac that embarrassing small-mouth hickey.Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The great director Hiro Murai collaborated with Glover on one of the most unsettling half-hours of TV in the 2010s, an experience that unfolded without commercial breaks.Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
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The only person who sees what’s disturbing about her is her daughter, Eva, and very soon all will see what is unsettling about her, too.Joe Otterson, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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That raises uneasy questions about Worthington’s social fabric and how to celebrate distinct cultures while overcoming ethnic self-segregation.Giovanna Dell'orto, Twin Cities, 31 Oct. 2024
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Apostates ties hunters with these organizations more closely as uneasy allies, rivals or even direct antagonists.Rob Wieland, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The best scalp scrubs help deep-clean your scalp by removing dead skin cells, excess oil, and product buildup.Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 3 Oct. 2024
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These could include planting trees, removing asphalt from playgrounds, installing outdoor classrooms and erecting shade structures.Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries have successfully achieved standoff through the use of artillery firepower coupled with drone strikes, effectively disrupting their adversary’s offensive operations.Vikram Mittal, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
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The 50,000 members of the union working at ports from Maine to Texas have been on strike since early Tuesday morning, halting the flow of the majority of containerized imports into the United States, along with many of the exports, disrupting the sales of American businesses overseas.Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Is the trend of sales taking a route that is bothering you?Hitendra Patil, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
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In many cases, states have stopped bothering to make legal justifications at all, the Human Rights Committee report warned.Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Kody quickly came to Robyn’s defense, further frustrating Janelle.Liza Esquibias, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
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Not all of these ideas will pan out, but if any do, the next few years could bring an inflection point in treating some of the most frustrating and intractable diseases of our modern era.Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near disturbing
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbing. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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