unsettle

/' n'setl/

Thân thiện

The unexpected news began to unsettle the calm audience.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To disturb the composure, peace, or stability of someone or something; to make someone feel anxious, uncertain, or uneasy.
   • To cause something to become unstable, disordered, or uncertain.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The sudden noise unsettled the baby, and she began to cry. (The noise disturbed the baby's calm state.)
  • The constant changes in management unsettle the entire staff. (The changes cause the staff to feel uneasy and uncertain.)
  • His strange questions unsettled me during the interview. (His questions disturbed my composure and made me anxious.)

Advanced Usage

• "to unsettle the market": to cause instability or uncertainty in a financial market.
  • The unexpected election results unsettled the stock market.
• "an unsettling experience": an experience that causes feelings of anxiety or unease. (Note: This uses the derived adjective 'unsettling'.)
  • Watching the documentary was an unsettling experience.

Variants and Related Words

• Unsettled (adjective): Not calm, stable, or certain.
  • The unsettled weather forced us to cancel the picnic.
  • She felt unsettled about the future.
• Unsettling (adjective): Causing anxiety or uneasiness; disturbing.
  • He told an unsettling story about his travels.
• Unsettlement (noun): The state of being unsettled; disturbance. (This is a less common noun form.)

Synonyms

• Disturb: To interrupt the quiet, rest, or peace of.
• Disconcert: To throw into confusion or embarrass; to perturb.
• Upset: To disturb mentally or emotionally; to distress.
• Perturb: To cause to be alarmed, agitated, or upset.

Antonyms

• Settle: To place in a desired state of calm or order.
• Calm: To make tranquil or quiet.
• Reassure: To restore to confidence or relieve from anxiety.

Phrasal Verbs and Common Collocations

• Unsettle someone's nerves: To make someone feel nervous or anxious.
  • The loud construction noise really unsettles my nerves.
• Unsettle the balance: To disrupt a state of equilibrium.
  • Introducing a new predator could unsettle the ecosystem's balance.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• To feel unsettled: To feel anxious, uneasy, or not at peace.
  • Ever since the argument, I've felt deeply unsettled.
• An unsettling thought: A thought that causes worry or discomfort.
  • It's an unsettling thought that we might not be alone in the universe.

Học thuật

Verb

1. disturb the composure of

Từ đồng nghĩa

• faze
• unnerve
• enervate