unnerve

verb

un·​nerve ˌən-ˈnərv 

unnerved; unnerving; unnerves

transitive verb

1

: to deprive of courage, strength, or steadiness

2

: to cause to become nervous : upset

unnervingly

ˌən-ˈnər-viŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• demoralize
• emasculate
• paralyze
• undo
• unman
• unstring

Choose the Right Synonym for unnerve

unnerve, enervate, unman, emasculate mean to deprive of strength or vigor and the capacity for effective action.

unnerve implies marked often temporary loss of courage, self-control, or power to act.

unnerved by the near collision

enervate suggests a gradual physical or moral weakening (as through luxury or indolence) until one is too feeble to make an effort.

a nation's youth enervated by affluence and leisure

unman implies a loss of manly vigor, fortitude, or spirit.

a soldier unmanned by the terrors of battle

emasculate stresses a depriving of characteristic force by removing something essential.

an amendment that emasculates existing safeguards

Examples of unnerve in a Sentence

Seeing the police in there unnerved me.

She was unnerved by his strange manner.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sudden acts of violence targeting random members of the public, including school children, have surged across the country in recent years as economic growth stutters, unnerving a population long accustomed low rates of violent crime and ubiquitous surveillance. —Alex Stambaugh, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025

Mary said Nathan’s erratic behavior unnerved her and Seraphine. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2025

Real Madrid’s £150million attack could not unnerve this inexperienced, improvised and hard-working band, put together for a comparable £2.5m, over 180 minutes. —Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

President Donald Trump has made his fixation on Greenland abundantly clear—enough so to unnerve many of the people who live there. —Brett Simpson, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unnerve

• conserve
• deserve
• manoeuvre
• observe
• preserve
• reserve
• subserve
• curve
• mirv
• nerve
• serve
• swerve

Kids Definition

unnerve

verb

un·​nerve ˌən-ˈnərv 

ˈən-

unnerved; unnerving

: to deprive of nerve, courage, or self-control

the accident unnerved me