unsettle
verb
un·set·tle
ˌən-ˈse-tᵊl 
unsettled; unsettling; unsettles
1
: to loosen or move from a settled state or condition : make unstable : disorder
2
: to perturb or agitate mentally or emotionally : discompose
: to become unsettled
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
Loomer’s Role in Firings: The firing of national security officials on the advice of Laura Loomer, a far-right agitator and conspiracy theorist, unsettled even some veteran Trump officials.
—
Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
An ailing husband doesn’t unsettle the established dynamic of who manages the home — as women are typically pre-socialized to be the caregivers.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Settlement talks have been held in recent weeks, which unsettled a number of people inside and outside the company, but such a path is hardly unusual in the current environment.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2025
But the clampdown has unsettled some staffers, where success has long been measured through appearing in top-tier scientific journals.
—ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
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Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
An ailing husband doesn’t unsettle the established dynamic of who manages the home — as women are typically pre-socialized to be the caregivers.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Settlement talks have been held in recent weeks, which unsettled a number of people inside and outside the company, but such a path is hardly unusual in the current environment.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2025
But the clampdown has unsettled some staffers, where success has long been measured through appearing in top-tier scientific journals.
—ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsettle
Cite this Entry
“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettle. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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