Disturbing
Disturbing adjective - Causing worry or anxiety.
Usage example: a disturbing trend in the nation's energy consumption
Shocking and disturbing are semantically related In some cases you can use "Shocking" instead an adjective "Disturbing".
Shocking
Shocking adjective - Causing fear.
Usage example: the shocking appearance of a shark just a few yards off shore
Disturbing and shocking are semantically related in appalling topic. Sometimes you can use "Disturbing" instead an adjective "Shocking".
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- unpleasant and disturbing
- unpleasant and shocking
- offensive and disturbing
- offensive and shocking
- grievous and disturbing
- grievous and shocking
- hideous and disturbing
- hideous and shocking
- terrible and disturbing
- terrible and shocking
- dreadful and disturbing
- dreadful and shocking
- horrible and disturbing
- horrible and shocking
Both words in one sentence
- Alone of the tragedies, Titus is not supposed to be in any way uplifting or cathartic, but to be disturbing and shocking.
Source: Shoot The Shaggy Dog / Theatre -
The game requires the player to do something very shocking and disturbing in order to win the game.
Source: What the Hell, Player? - Gorn: Not to a heavy degree but the sex scenes (from both perspectives) are intended to be shocking and disturbing, rather than stimulating.
Cite this Source
Shocking and Disturbing. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/disturbing/shocking
Disturbing & Shocking. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/disturbing/shocking>.
Shocking or Disturbing. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/disturbing/shocking.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "disturbing" and "shocking" have occurred on timeline