PERTURBS Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

perturbs

verb

present tense third-person singular of perturb

as in disturbs

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

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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 perturbs For example, obesity induces chronic fat inflammation, which subsequently leads to systemic inflammation and perturbs the normal systemic metabolism. — Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 The algorithm next perturbs one of the qubits used to carry out those operations. — IEEE Spectrum, 21 Oct. 2025 Anything that perturbs or enlarges the prostate could in theory increase PSA levels. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturbs

Verb

Tilling or plowing in the summer disturbs the soil's delicate ecosystem and exposes moist soil to rapid water loss.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
The pier in Michigan City’s Washington Park disturbs the natural flow of sand along the lakeshore, creating new land east of the pier but starving beaches to the west, an erosion problem repeated by other manmade structures that jut out into Lake Michigan.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026

Definition of disturbs

Verb

Mother’s explosion distracts Blaine and frees Sam.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 22 May 2026
In my view, platforming these young men and sensationalizing their behaviors, rather than recognizing those behaviors as signs of psychological distress, distracts from the urgent need to address these serious mental health concerns.

— Jordyn Tovey, The Conversation, 22 May 2026

Definition of distracts

Verb

If that bothers you, then a significant projection for Bo Nix’s season will make your skin crawl.

— Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
What bothers me more is when passengers take up valuable overhead bin space with personal items like backpacks and jackets before everyone has finished boarding.

— Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 July 2026

Definition of bothers

Verb

That is precisely the capability that unsettles underwriters, because an agent that can decide is an agent that can decide wrongly, and fast.

— Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
But Hyd unsettles this arrangement with their deadpan affect, playing the part of a mourning truth-seeker trying to live in the moment.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026

Definition of unsettles

Verb

As neighborhoods have grown closer, Gordon worries not only about the animals’ safety, but also about the rescue’s long-term stability.

— Maveah Griffith, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026
Humans Still Need To Connect The Dots One thing that worries me is how quickly people assume AI understands consequences.

— David Van Ronk, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of worries

Verb

He becomes increasingly consumed by the otherworldly dimension, which alarms his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve).

— Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
The focal point of escalating concern is oldest son Jeremy (Edik Beddoes) whose increasingly erratic behavior alarms those around him, not only for his safety but others as well.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 May 2026

Definition of alarms

Verb

Another issue with the heat index concerns the way that it’s calculated.

— Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
That case concerns a longstanding Supreme Court precedent that broadly shields members of such boards from being fired at will, in order to protect them from partisan interference.

— Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of concerns

Browse Nearby Words

perturbingly

perturbs

perusal

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“Perturbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturbs. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of perturbs

verb

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