unsettle

/ʌnˈsetl/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈsetl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈse-tᵊl/ (ame, mw)

unsettle — verb

  • unsettlepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • unsettleshe / she / it
  • unsettledpast simple
  • unsettling-ing form

1. to leave someone uneasy and unable to stay calm, especially after something unex

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to leave someone uneasy and unable to stay calm, especially after something unexpected happens

例句

The sudden phone call from the hospital unsettled Iris before dinner.

something unsettles someone

Hearing footsteps outside at midnight unsettled Tariro for hours.

同義詞
  • disturb

    broader; can also refer to interrupting sleep, peace, or concentration

  • rattle

    more vivid; suggests a sharper shock that affects confidence

  • worry

    often points more directly to anxiety about possible problems

反義詞
  • reassure

    to make someone feel less anxious after worry or doubt

  • calm

    broader; focuses on returning someone to a peaceful state

文法句型

something unsettles someone

用法筆記

The subject is usually bad news, strange behaviour, or a sudden change. This sense focuses on a person's loss of ease or confidence, not on a system becoming unstable.

常見錯誤

❌I unsettled about the noise.
✅I felt unsettled by the noise.
💡'unsettle' is usually transitive, so something unsettles a person.

2. to disturb a plan, system, or calm situation so that it no longer feels stable o

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to disturb a plan, system, or calm situation so that it no longer feels stable or easy to predict

例句

The strike could unsettle the city's food supply this month.

something unsettles a system

One careless remark can unsettle a peaceful meeting in minutes.

同義詞
  • disrupt

    broader; can interrupt activity without suggesting lasting instability

  • destabilize

    more formal and stronger; often used for systems, governments, or regions

  • shake

    more vivid; suggests jolting confidence or balance

反義詞
  • stabilize

    to make a system or situation steady again

  • settle

    to become calm or fixed after a period of change

文法句型

something unsettles something

用法筆記

The object is usually a market, plan, relationship, or period of calm rather than a person. It often suggests an earlier steady state that has been disturbed.

常見錯誤

❌The new tax unsettled.
✅The new tax unsettled the market.
💡this sense needs an object naming the plan, system, or situation affected.