PERTURB Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'perturb' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perturb are agitate , discompose , disquiet , disturb , fluster , and upset . While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions. // perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

Q: In what contexts can 'agitate' take the place of 'perturb'?

Although the words agitate and perturb have much in common, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement. // in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

Q: When would 'discompose' be a good substitute for 'perturb'?

While the synonyms discompose and perturb are close in meaning, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress. // discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

Q: When is 'disquiet' a more appropriate choice than 'perturb'?

While in some cases nearly identical to perturb , disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind. // the disquieting news of factories closing

Q: When can 'disturb' be used instead of 'perturb'?

In some situations, the words disturb and perturb are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption. // the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Q: Where would 'fluster' be a reasonable alternative to 'perturb'?

The words fluster and perturb can be used in similar contexts, but fluster suggests bewildered agitation. // his declaration of love completely flustered her

Q: When might 'upset' be a better fit than 'perturb'?

The meanings of upset and perturb largely overlap; however, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief. // the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

perturb

verb

pər-ˈtərb

Definition of perturb

as in to disturb

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the caller's strange remark perturbed me enough to keep me awake that night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb perturb contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perturb are agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, fluster, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

In what contexts can agitate take the place of perturb?

Although the words agitate and perturb have much in common, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

When would discompose be a good substitute for perturb?

While the synonyms discompose and perturb are close in meaning, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When is disquiet a more appropriate choice than perturb?

While in some cases nearly identical to perturb, disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

When can disturb be used instead of perturb?

In some situations, the words disturb and perturb are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Where would fluster be a reasonable alternative to perturb?

The words fluster and perturb can be used in similar contexts, but fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When might upset be a better fit than perturb?

The meanings of upset and perturb largely overlap; however, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of perturb Trump’s executive order perturbed many in the architecture profession when it was issued last year. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 12 June 2026 Some users were perturbed by Obuzic’s stories. — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 Brunson was clearly perturbed by the sound of his friend chewing while in front of a microphone. — James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 3 June 2026 However, some users are perturbed by the new home screen. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for perturb

Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturb

Verb

White-footed mice, which do carry the culprit bacteria — charmingly named Borrelia burgdorferi — thrive in areas disturbed by people, according to Ostfeld.

— Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Clear your calendar, put your phone on ‘Do not disturb’ and enjoy.

— The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of disturb

Verb

Authorities allege Ivy and Mayhand distracted employees by browsing merchandise while Wiley sat at a consultation desk and stole two pieces of jewelry before the trio fled.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
No Country for Mothers is a documentary from Moms First, Culture House Media, and French Tuck Media that investigates the lies used throughout history to distract and divide American mothers.

— Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of distract

Verb

But many doctors are alarmed by a craze that has thousands of people injecting themselves with substances of dubious origin and whose long-term effects are unknown.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 20 July 2026
In Orange County, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County maintains infectious-disease surveillance and disease-reporting services for residents and visitors, which is exactly how local systems stay ready without alarming the public.

— Luis E. Caso Vega, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026

Definition of alarm

Verb

Public polls have shown him with an early lead over Collins, and key Republicans worry about their chances in what was once seen as one of the GOP’s best pickup opportunities.

— Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
Later, Feinmann said his words were not directed at the Mexican people — while musing that Sheinbaum had bigger things to worry about, like combating narco-trafficking, violence and corruption.

— Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of worry

Verb

There is a versatility to Spain that can embrace the transition and accelerate the game — using the moments of brief chaos to their advantage when the opposition are unsettled.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Whether the platform becomes an exclusive home for major events or hosts a regular run of them is still unsettled.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of unsettle

Verb

Plummeting immigration is concerning, since our data suggests that immigration was the biggest contributor to Florida’s growth since 2023.

— Matt Brooks, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Bradač’s proof concerns off-diagonal Ramsey numbers, which allow for large differences between the size of a clique and the size of an independent set.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 15 July 2026

Definition of concern

Verb

But a leadership vacuum could fracture the Tibetan movement, potentially giving rise to younger, more radical factions that agitate for total independence, perhaps even violently.

— Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
Washing machines take care of that with their tumbling or agitating action.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 July 2026

Definition of agitate

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pertness

perturb

perturbable

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“Perturb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturb. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of perturb

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