unnerve

verb

un·​nerve ˌən-ˈnərv 

unnerved; unnerving; unnerves

transitive verb

1

: to deprive of courage, strength, or steadiness

was unnerved by the enemy's overwhelming show of strength

2

: to cause to become nervous : upset

His strange behavior unnerved her.

unnervingly

ˌən-ˈnər-viŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of unnerve

• paralyze
• frighten
• terrify
• intimidate
• scare

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

The most recent of these was just two years ago, when eastern and central swathes of the United States experienced the path of totality, the phenomenon that casts daytime into eerie midnight blackness for unnerving lengths of time. —Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026

The Fed targets a 2% inflation rate, and officials will likely be unnerved by a steady increase. —Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026

Sora unnerved the entertainment industry when it was launched in 2024, with its rapid creation of photo-quality video from text prompts. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026

The White House is attempting to manage a large-scale military confrontation with an undefined exit strategy—a confrontation that is unnerving markets. —Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026

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