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View synonyms for

unsettle

[uhn-set-l]

verb (used with object)

unsettled, unsettling 
  1. to alter from a settled state; cause to be no longer firmly fixed or established; render unstable; disturb.

    Violence unsettled the government.

  2. to shake or weaken (beliefs, feelings, etc.); cause doubt or uncertainty about.

    doubts unsettling his religious convictions.

    Synonyms: , , , ,
  3. to vex or agitate the mind or emotions of; upset; discompose.

    The quarrel unsettled her.



verb (used without object)

unsettled, unsettling 
  1. to become unfixed or disordered.

unsettle

/ ʌˈɛə /

verb

  1. (usually tr) to change or become changed from a fixed or settled condition

  2. (tr) to confuse or agitate (emotions, the mind, etc)

“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
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Other Word Forms

  • ܲˈٳٱ𳾱Գ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of unsettle1

First recorded in 1535–45; un- 2 + settle 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Israel may calculate that the attacks and killings could unsettle the regime and open the way for a popular uprising.

From

Brian said he’s been unsettled and angered after reading hateful, anti-immigrant comments on social media under the clips that have been posted of his father’s arrest.

From

Graham says the casting team had considered looking for an older boy, given the demands of the role and the show’s unsettling subject matter.

From

Many outrageous and unsettling things happened in Los Angeles over the weekend.

From

Working in recognizable horror subgenres, Byrne entices you with a familiar premise and then slowly teases apart the tropes, leaving you unsettled but also invigorated by his inventiveness.

From

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unsetunsettled