unsettle
verb (used with object)
to alter from a settled state; cause to be no longer firmly fixed or established; render unstable; disturb.
unsettles
-
present tense formof unsettle (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
"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
The statue unsettles me the longer I stare at it, and I waste no more time leaving the corridor to head to the sky garden.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
