disturb
verb (used with object)
to interrupt the quiet, rest, peace, or order of; unsettle.
was disturbing
-
past progressiveof disturb.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
He said it was disturbing to learn that the New Year’s fire allegedly was arson, but that the news on Wednesday raised more questions than answers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2025
It was disturbing to feel we had become part of the story.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2025
Various measures of crime peaked in D.C. in 2023, and that was disturbing, because at the time nationally, the crime wave was starting to ebb, and D.C. was still going up.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2025
"The characters' excessive altruism was disturbing - almost to the point of seeming unhinged," reads a comment on popular South Korean discussion site Nate Pann.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2025
Not the gold or black I had come to expect, but a deep burgundy color that was disturbing and sinister.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
