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
The withdrawn teen obsessively draws dark spiders in class and shows a disturbing fixation on news reports of school shootings.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 June 2025
His disturbing legacy drew the attention of filmmaker and former HBO executive Kary Antholis, who had followed the case for decades.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 4 June 2025
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 3 June 2025
In Massachusetts, specialists work with hospitals to identify young patients exhibiting disturbing behavior.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbing
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Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 June 2025
His disturbing legacy drew the attention of filmmaker and former HBO executive Kary Antholis, who had followed the case for decades.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 4 June 2025
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 3 June 2025
In Massachusetts, specialists work with hospitals to identify young patients exhibiting disturbing behavior.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 31 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 12 Jun. 2025.
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