Antonyms for the phrase "putting at ease" may include words and phrases such as "stressing," "anxious," "uneasy," "agitated," "perturbed," "disconcerted," "unsettled," "disturbed," or "worried." These antonyms connote a sense of unease or discomfort, the opposite of the calming and reassuring qualities associated with putting someone at ease. Alternatively, antonyms may reference actions or behaviors that cause stress or tension, such as "bothering," "disturbing," "interfering," "intruding," or "hassling." To use such antonyms in context, one might say, "Her scatterbrained tendency to forget important duties was always a source of anxiety for her coworkers, never putting anyone at ease around her responsibilities.