disturbing

1. 1
   adjective

   Causing distress or worry; upsetting or unsettling to the people who encounter it.

   The report contained disturbing details about the factory's safety record.

   Many viewers found the documentary's images deeply disturbing.

   Similarupsetting, distressing, troubling, unsettling, disquieting

   Oppositereassuring, comforting, heartening

   Note

   Here the participle has become a true adjective, and the proof is that it grades: very disturbing, more disturbing, most disturbing. A verb form cannot take very. That is the quickest way to tell it from the verb form, which takes an object instead (disturbing the neighbors). When nothing follows and very fits, as in a disturbing film or behavior that is very disturbing, you have the adjective.

2. 2
   verb

   Present participle and gerund of disturb.

   The drilling next door was disturbing my concentration all afternoon.

   Disturbing the ancient site could damage priceless artifacts.

   Note

   Behind this form lies the whole verb, which can disturb water, a site or a train of thought. In each case something is knocked out of a calm, steady state, and that something is the object, which is the giveaway. Disturbing the peace is the verb at work, while a disturbing scene, with nothing after it, belongs to the adjective. As a gerund it heads its own noun phrase: disturbing the nest drives the birds away.

Showing meanings only. Show all 2