disquieting
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- disquietingly adverb
- self-disquieting adjective
Etymology
Origin of disquieting
Explanation
When something really upsets or worries you, you can describe it as disquieting. The very best horror movies are supposed to be disquieting. Scary TV shows and books are disquieting, and even the local news or a documentary can be a bit disquieting, making you feel uncomfortable or rattled. In other words, they upset you with disturbing ideas, images, or subjects. You could also describe disquieting things as unsettling or distressing. The Latin roots are dis, "not," and quies, "peace."
Vocabulary lists containing disquieting
Night
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The Giver
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The Great Gatsby
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was those influencers I found most disquieting during my time in Tucson.
From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026
A seemingly endless flurry of disquieting geopolitical headlines continues to sap investors’ risk appetite.
From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026
Lines such as “I love to count, it relaxes me and it gives me an achievable goal” point at a disquieting loneliness without going overboard.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026
By refusing to commit to a disquieting atmosphere, Cregger dulls his provocation, making “Weapons” feel timid, even flippant, in the face of a genuine American crisis.
From Salon • Aug. 8, 2025
That name the hobbits only knew in legends of the dark past, like a shadow in the background of their memories; but it was ominous and disquieting.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
