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
Everyone around her, including the prison guards, the undertaker and even the warden, seem unsettled by what’s happening.
—
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
This unprecedented stream of executive orders and memorandums is unsettling Washington households as people scramble to determine whether their jobs and livelihoods are safe.
—Emily Peck, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025
Cue his furious imposition of tariffs on both allies and foes, provoking threats of retaliation and unsettling global commerce.
—Alex Travelli, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
The deadline, in some ways, deeply unsettled the Western Conference over the last week.
—Eric Koreen, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Unsettle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsettle. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Kids 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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