disquiet
1 of 3verb
dis·qui·et (ˌ)dis-ˈkwī-ət 
disquieted; disquieting; disquiets
transitive verb
: to take away the peace or tranquility of : disturb, alarm
were disquieted by recent events
disquieting adjective
disquietingly
(ˌ)dis-ˈkwī-ə-tiŋ-lē
adverb disquiet
2 of 3noun
: lack of peace or tranquility : anxiety
great disquiet among shareholders
disquiet
3 of 3adjective
archaic
: uneasy, disquieted
disquietly adverb
Synonyms
Verb
- agitate
- ail
- alarm
- alarum
- bother
- concern
- derail
- discomfort
- discompose
- dismay
- distemper
- distract
- distress
- disturb
- exercise
- flurry
- frazzle
- freak (out)
- fuss
- hagride
- perturb
- undo
- unhinge
- unsettle
- upset
- weird out
- worry
Noun
- ferment
- fermentation
- restiveness
- restlessness
- Sturm und Drang
- turmoil
- uneasiness
- unquietness
- unrest
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb we were disquieted by the strange noises we heard outside our tent at night Noun There is increasing public disquiet about the number of violent crimes in the city. a period of disquiet before the results of the close election were confirmed
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam Rasmi, Quartz, 27 Apr. 2020 In much of the Bay Area, the coronavirus pandemic and strict shelter-in-place rules have kept people in their homes, engulfing whole cities in a sense of disquieting calm. Rachel Swan, SFChronicle.com, 25 Apr. 2020 In that light, America’s 20 percent positivity rate is disquieting. Alexis C. Madrigal, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2020 There are some tells in Allen’s account that are disquieting. Peter Biskind, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2020 Given all that is going on, Cook’s quiet about developers was disquieting. Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2019 The first day of the unprecedented shelter-in-place order for six Bay Area counties went smoothly, as few people ventured outside and commercial districts had an air of disquieting calm. Lizzie Johnson, SFChronicle.com, 17 Mar. 2020 Public health officials and Democrats responded skeptically, citing false hopes and disquiet over pitting the health of the economy against the health of the people. Cassidy Morrison, Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2020 Jane Ratcliffe | Longreads | March 2020 | 15 minutes (3,519 words)Lidia Yuknavitch’s disquieting new collection of short stories, Verge, is often bleak, yet also exquisitely hopeful. Jane Ratcliffe, Longreads, 14 Mar. 2020 Randall Colburn, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2022 Muñoz relays the tale of a dead man who materializes in a field one morning, followed by the shudders of disquiet the discovery sends through the life of the foreman who stumbles into the body. Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 Russian leaders should feel deep disquiet in the face of a deeply entrenched body of precedents since the Second World War. Michael A. Newton, CNN, 15 Mar. 2022 But as the conflict has turned from weeks to months, and as the bone-chilling cold days of the winter invasion have given way to the heat of the summer, so too has the initial sense of terror in this city made way for a milder disquiet. Megan Specia, BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2022 Still, smaller quality-of-life infractions disquiet residents. New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 Russia's invasion four months ago changed all that, sending disquiet through the continent and prompting its nations to contribute an extra 200 billion euros (around $210 billion) for defense since then. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 29 June 2022 Just as Tesla shareholders have been displaying disquiet about the deal, Twitter shareholders have been displaying skepticism. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2022 But the idea that a sizable piece of humanity’s trash is going to litter the moon has fostered disquiet around the globe. Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2022 See More
Verb
The next few days were disquieting for the country, especially after he was transferred to intensive care. Adam Rasmi, Quartz, 27 Apr. 2020 In much of the Bay Area, the coronavirus pandemic and strict shelter-in-place rules have kept people in their homes, engulfing whole cities in a sense of disquieting calm. Rachel Swan, SFChronicle.com, 25 Apr. 2020 In that light, America’s 20 percent positivity rate is disquieting. Alexis C. Madrigal, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2020 There are some tells in Allen’s account that are disquieting. Peter Biskind, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2020 Given all that is going on, Cook’s quiet about developers was disquieting. Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2019 The first day of the unprecedented shelter-in-place order for six Bay Area counties went smoothly, as few people ventured outside and commercial districts had an air of disquieting calm. Lizzie Johnson, SFChronicle.com, 17 Mar. 2020 Public health officials and Democrats responded skeptically, citing false hopes and disquiet over pitting the health of the economy against the health of the people. Cassidy Morrison, Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2020 Jane Ratcliffe | Longreads | March 2020 | 15 minutes (3,519 words)Lidia Yuknavitch’s disquieting new collection of short stories, Verge, is often bleak, yet also exquisitely hopeful. Jane Ratcliffe, Longreads, 14 Mar. 2020 Noun
The film maintains a pervasive sense of disquiet before a shocking twist halfway through, leading to an eruption of all-out horror at its conspiratorial climax. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2022 Muñoz relays the tale of a dead man who materializes in a field one morning, followed by the shudders of disquiet the discovery sends through the life of the foreman who stumbles into the body. Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 Russian leaders should feel deep disquiet in the face of a deeply entrenched body of precedents since the Second World War. Michael A. Newton, CNN, 15 Mar. 2022 But as the conflict has turned from weeks to months, and as the bone-chilling cold days of the winter invasion have given way to the heat of the summer, so too has the initial sense of terror in this city made way for a milder disquiet. Megan Specia, BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2022 Still, smaller quality-of-life infractions disquiet residents. New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 Russia's invasion four months ago changed all that, sending disquiet through the continent and prompting its nations to contribute an extra 200 billion euros (around $210 billion) for defense since then. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 29 June 2022 Just as Tesla shareholders have been displaying disquiet about the deal, Twitter shareholders have been displaying skepticism. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2022 But the idea that a sizable piece of humanity’s trash is going to litter the moon has fostered disquiet around the globe. Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Verb
circa 1530, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1581, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1582, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
disquiet 1 of 2
verb
dis·qui·et dis-ˈkwī-ət
disquieted; disquieting
: to make uneasy or worried
We were disquieted by strange noises in the house.
disquiet
2 of 2noun
: an uneasy feeling The child's illnesses brought disquiet to the family.
disquiet 1 of 2
noun
1
as in turmoil
a disturbed or uneasy state a period of disquiet before the results of the close election were confirmed Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- turmoil
- unrest
- unease
- uneasiness
- tension
- confusion
- anxiety
- excitement
- restlessness
- agitation
- restiveness
- turbulence
- upheaval
- ferment
- chaos
- agitation
- commotion
- fermentation
- trouble
- disruption
- unquietness
- stir
- unsettlement
- disquietude
- Sturm und Drang
- storm
- anarchy
- tumult
- perturbation
- inquietude
- uproar
- hubbub
- fidgets
- disorder
- queasiness
- tumultuousness
- moil
- welter
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ease
- peace
- tranquility
- tranquillity
- calm
- quiet
- peacefulness
- order
- orderliness
2
as in unease
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble was filled with disquiet as the hours passed without any sign of the missing children Synonyms & Similar Words
- unease
- concern
- fear
- anxiety
- worry
- concernment
- uneasiness
- disquietude
- uncertainty
- apprehensiveness
- apprehension
- agitation
- nervousness
- fearfulness
- anxiousness
- perturbation
- tension
- solicitude
- discomfort
- agita
- anguish
- panic
- dread
- desperation
- care
- stress
- sweat
- doubt
- nervosity
- dismay
- disturbance
- distress
- tremor
- angst
- consternation
- desperateness
- discomposure
- upset
- jumpiness
- jitters
- alarm
- strain
- misgiving
- torment
- suspense
- vexation
- incertitude
- edginess
- qualm
- hand-wringing
- compunction
- presentiment
- franticness
- distraction
- foreboding
- alarum
- scruple
- cold feet
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unconcern
- tranquility
- ease
- quietude
- calmness
- peace
- serenity
- tranquillity
- contentment
- calm
- quiet
- placidity
- peacefulness
- content
- relief
- solace
- easiness
- comfort
- placidness
- sereneness
- consolation
- tranquilness
disquiet
2 of 2verb
as in to concern
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy we were disquieted by the strange noises we heard outside our tent at night Synonyms & Similar Words
- concern
- alarm
- worry
- disturb
- anger
- bother
- distress
- discomfort
- distract
- unsettle
- dismay
- upset
- agitate
- plague
- haunt
- discompose
- annoy
- flurry
- fuss
- distemper
- ail
- exercise
- perturb
- irritate
- unhinge
- confuse
- derail
- rattle
- alarum
- exasperate
- weird out
- irk
- undo
- frazzle
- aggravate
- embarrass
- vex
- discomfit
- pique
- harry
- rile
- grate
- disconcert
- peeve
- hagride
- fluster
- bug
- freak (out)
- chafe
- fret
- harass
- nettle
- nonplus
- gall
- abash
- discourage
- put off
- bedevil
- unnerve
- put out
- shake up
- chivy
- mortify
- pester
- confound
- discountenance
- daunt
- get
- faze
- dispirit
- chivvy
- dishearten
- demoralize
- jar
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- calm
- quiet
- soothe
- alleviate
- settle
- allay
- assuage
- compose
- tranquillize
- tranquilize
- mollify
- pacify
- placate
- appease
- conciliate
- propitiate
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of disquiet are agitate, discompose, disturb, fluster, perturb, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.
the disquieting news of factories closing
While the synonyms agitate and disquiet are close in meaning, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.
in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work
Although the words discompose and disquiet have much in common, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.
discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife
The words disturb and disquiet can be used in similar contexts, but disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.
the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me
The meanings of fluster and disquiet largely overlap; however, fluster suggests bewildered agitation.
his declaration of love completely flustered her
The synonyms perturb and disquiet are sometimes interchangeable, but perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.
perturbed by her husband's strange behavior
The words upset and disquiet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.
the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child