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
Synonyms
Examples of disturbing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For him, the university’s response to the Siemens Hall occupation was traumatic for two reasons: first, because seeing students harmed and threatened with police violence is disturbing and, second, because of the logistical impracticalities of an abrupt transition to online learning.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 3 May 2024
What is even more disturbing is that in 90% of cases, the abuser is a member of the family, based on findings in the study.
—Dr. Robert Glatter and Dr. Peter J Papadakos, TIME, 2 May 2024
In one disturbing incident, the ranchers discuss the death of pastoralism in a community meeting.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 May 2024
Some of that is due to a disturbing lawsuit that was filed and then dismissed within the span of three weeks in 2022.
—Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
That disturbing detail provided a unique jurisdictional issue, challenging prosecutors to establish exactly where Diaz had been killed.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 1 May 2024
Shortly after the first two episodes of Quiet on Set were released, Schneider released an on-camera video responding to the disturbing revelations the series publicized.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 1 May 2024
After three hot inflation reports to start the year and some disturbing signs of persistent price pressures in the first-quarter GDP report, some investors have begun to fear the U.S. could be headed for a repeat of the stagflationary 1970s.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 1 May 2024
Tense, disturbing, riveting, Alex Garland’s dystopian film Civil War examines an existential threat preying on the American sub-conscious: What would happen if the political and social divisions cleaving the United States ultimately collapse the nation into the abyss?
—Eisa Nefertari Ulen, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 3 May 2024
What is even more disturbing is that in 90% of cases, the abuser is a member of the family, based on findings in the study.
—Dr. Robert Glatter and Dr. Peter J Papadakos, TIME, 2 May 2024
In one disturbing incident, the ranchers discuss the death of pastoralism in a community meeting.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 May 2024
Some of that is due to a disturbing lawsuit that was filed and then dismissed within the span of three weeks in 2022.
—Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
That disturbing detail provided a unique jurisdictional issue, challenging prosecutors to establish exactly where Diaz had been killed.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 1 May 2024
Shortly after the first two episodes of Quiet on Set were released, Schneider released an on-camera video responding to the disturbing revelations the series publicized.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 1 May 2024
After three hot inflation reports to start the year and some disturbing signs of persistent price pressures in the first-quarter GDP report, some investors have begun to fear the U.S. could be headed for a repeat of the stagflationary 1970s.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 1 May 2024
Tense, disturbing, riveting, Alex Garland’s dystopian film Civil War examines an existential threat preying on the American sub-conscious: What would happen if the political and social divisions cleaving the United States ultimately collapse the nation into the abyss?
—Eisa Nefertari Ulen, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disturbing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Disturbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbing. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
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