disconcerting
disturbing to one's composure or self-possession; upsetting, discomfiting.
confusing, usually in the face of something totally unexpected; perplexing.
Origin of disconcerting
1Other words from disconcerting
- dis·con·cert·ing·ly, adverb
- dis·con·cert·ing·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use disconcerting in a sentence
It can be disconcerting to realize that all maps are made with a purpose, and that is what we wanted to explore with our exhibition.
The uncertainty of what the next semester will look like is disconcerting, but that’s just the way things are, for now, Siddiqui said.
For college freshmen, pandemic results in a first-year experience unlike any other | Joe Heim, Nick Anderson, Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Susan Svrluga | December 17, 2020 | Washington PostWe had started to see slight upticks in certain categories of crime, which were disconcerting.
Early in his tenure at Nike, a number of disconcerting things began happening.
Inside a secret running program at Nike and a win-at-all-costs corporate culture | Rachel King | October 6, 2020 | FortuneThis is especially disconcerting in light of the findings by Kitchell’s consultants that all air samples were safer than mandated by the EPA, OSHA and the city.
Flaws and Assumptions Render 101 Ash St. Assessment Meaningless | Sandor Shapery | September 10, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
So far, five episodes of LA Shrinks have aired, and I find them disconcertingly awful.
‘LA Shrinks’: A Television Writer Discovers His Shrink Is on a Bravo Reality Show | Mike Chessler | April 8, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAs I entered the residence in Tehran, I found the whole spectacle weirdly, disconcertingly familiar.
The True Story Behind Operation ‘Argo’ to Rescue Americans From Iran | Antonio Mendez, Matt Baglio | September 17, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTPerhaps more disconcertingly, the defense complains that simply meeting with Manning is unjustifiably difficult.
And the run of NYT pages disconcertingly leapfrogs over the op-ed pages and ends up on the back.
He was so disconcertingly interested in my life that I realized I hadn't asked him a single question.
This attitude proved in the end to be possessed of a disconcertingly slender foundation.
South America | W. H. KoebelDave was sincerely startled when his son one day skillfully restored tone to the thing after it had disconcertingly rebelled.
The Wrong Twin | Harry Leon WilsonDisconcertingly, however, there was no surrender in what she answered.
Lady Barbarina | Henry JamesAs he handed the cigarettes about he looked searchingly at Martin with eyes disconcertingly intense.
One Man's Initiation--1917 | John Dos PassosShe was unaware, disconcertingly unaware; yet her surprise showed the frankest pleasure.
Tante | Anne Douglas Sedgwick
British Dictionary definitions for disconcerting
/ (ˌdɪskənˈsɜːtɪŋ) /
causing a feeling of disturbance, embarrassment, or confusion; perturbing; worrying
Derived forms of disconcerting
- disconcertingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse