unsettle
Americanverb (used with object)
-
unsettles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unsettled,
past participle, past
-
unsettling
present participle
-
to alter from a settled state; cause to be no longer firmly fixed or established; render unstable; disturb.
Violence unsettled the government.
-
to shake or weaken (beliefs, feelings, etc.); cause doubt or uncertainty about.
doubts unsettling his religious convictions.
- Synonyms:
- disconcert, confuse, unbalance, disturb, upset
-
to vex or agitate the mind or emotions of; upset; discompose.
The quarrel unsettled her.
verb (used without object)
-
unsettles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unsettled,
past participle, past
-
unsettling
present participle
verb
-
(usually tr) to change or become changed from a fixed or settled condition
-
(tr) to confuse or agitate (emotions, the mind, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
unsettlesimple
-
unsettlessimple
-
have unsettledperfect
-
has unsettledperfect
-
am unsettlingprogressive
-
are unsettlingprogressive
-
is unsettlingprogressive
-
have been unsettlingperfect progressive
-
has been unsettlingperfect progressive
Past
-
unsettledsimple
-
had unsettledperfect
-
was unsettlingprogressive
-
were unsettlingprogressive
-
had been unsettlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unsettle
Explanation
To unsettle is to make someone feel disconcerted and disturbed. After you watch a scary horror movie, every little sound in your dark house will probably unsettle you. Things that leave you uneasy or anxious unsettle you, whether you receive a creepy prank phone call or have to start at a new school after moving in the middle of the year. A spooky mystery novel might unsettle you, especially if you read it at night, while falling stock prices tend to unsettle Wall Street experts. Use this verb whenever things feel upsetting and unstable.
Vocabulary lists containing unsettle
Power Prefix: un-
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: un-
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
He specifically says he won’t unsettle the financial markets that rely on having an independent Fed.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
A five-year outlook does appear to have slipped into 1Q FY 2027, but that’s unlikely to unsettle investors given the strong gold-market backdrop, he adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
"It has been very concerning that an issue as important as safeguarding is being used to attempt to unsettle the church's leadership and divide its congregation," the statement added.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
The artworks are as likely to unsettle as they are to move.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
Oh, but it did unsettle the matrons of Bethlehem to see the poor thing boosted into a class ahead of their own children, there to become dazzling slick-quick at mathematics.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
"The disclosure of such confidential, sensitive information not only unsettles our workforce; it is also damaging to the business," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
The grand old man of Victorian letters was once a young romantic whose grief-soaked verse still dazzles and unsettles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
What unsettles me is how eagerly people rush to perform the worst versions of themselves when given permission.
From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2025
He isn't misunderstood because he behaves badly; he's misunderstood because his existence unsettles old certainties about who gets to define respect.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
It unsettles me to see her so agitated, like the ground I’m standing on is no longer solid.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
Sander Berge: Struggled to dictate the tempo as he had done in pre-season in an unsettled game.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Whatever the future holds for the accuracy of A.I. detectors, I am unsettled by what both the A.I. writing and the detectors are doing to me right now.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
“After the unsettled and chaotic primary, this is shaping up to be a fairly standard California general election, where Democrats enjoy a comfortable edge statewide,” said Eric Schickler, a political science professor and IGS co-director.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Those market-oriented actions earned China global respect for economic policymaking but unsettled the Chinese people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Even Lewis and Clark with their big guns were astounded and unsettled by the ability of the grizzly to absorb volleys of lead with barely a wobble.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Pyongyang sent trash-filled balloons and broadcast unsettling noises across the border during the administration of Lee's hawkish predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
"Everything is unsettling and I am angry at how we are treated," says Anaïs, who is now 42 years old.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
But as he aggressively attacks his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, and her father, Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, Miller’s behavior is as bizarre as it is unsettling.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
Spending down assets can be unsettling after a lifetime of saving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
“You’re right,” he said with an unsettling directness.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
