disturbing
adjective
dis·turb·ing
di-ˈstər-biŋ 
: causing feelings of worry, concern, or anxiety
disturbing news
a disturbing discovery
The next phase in which I had a part was even more disturbing, and infinitely more painful.—
Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
disturbingly
adverb
disturbingly high levels of pollution
a disturbingly familiar problem
… the texture of ordinary life and talk has taken on a disturbingly ambiguous quality …
—Jonathan Raban
Jonathan Raban
Examples of disturbing in a Sentence
a disturbing visit by the next-door neighbor while I was trying to study
there was a disturbing silence as I struggled to remember her name
a disturbing trend in the nation's energy consumption
a disturbing pause in the normally smooth operation of the machinery
Recent Examples on the Web
Nothing has officially happened yet, but the tension is disturbing with the consequences potentially devastating.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
This article contains descriptions of mass shootings that some readers may find disturbing.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
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Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
This article contains descriptions of mass shootings that some readers may find disturbing.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbing. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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