as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the unnerving news of yet another murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in paralyzing
to deprive of courage or confidence
the riding accident so unnerved me that for a while I was afraid to get back on a horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discouraging
to lessen the courage or confidence of
a figure skater can't afford to be unnerved by an occasional slipup
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unnerving
Mac Engel
april 21, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2026
In it, a husband and wife adopt a cat, Sheila, who develops an unnerving disposition come nightfall.
—Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
The goal differential at five-on-five (162-159) might be unnerving, but the body of work speaks for itself.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
This new view was both unnerving and exhilarating.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
That unnerving bawl, which reappears at the rousing finale of the Barcelona concert, reflects the control Ciani has over her instrument, a mastery she’s built over almost 50 years of practice.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Plus, the fluidity of the situation is completely unnerving.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
But in an unnerving testament to AI’s growing pervasiveness, and unchecked acceptance, that feeling wasn’t universal.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
But the possibility of leaving northeast Lake County — Beach Park, North Chicago, Park City, Wadsworth, Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor, and Zion — without a close-in medical center is too unnerving to consider.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 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
Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies -- unnerving the world economy.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies — unnerving the world economy.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, have given rise to increasing concerns of a global energy crisis and are unnerving the world economy.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
The feature debut from writer-director Graham Parkes is also one of three films at the fest to feature comedy star Kate Berlant, here in a double role as unnerving twin couples-therapy influencers.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
There’s something unnerving about the mundane thwack of the rhythms.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2026
Most pages exude that unnerving queasiness which results from seeing a worrying lack of paragraph breaks in the foreseeable near future.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Jason Robertson isn’t quite Ralph Cox, but there are unnerving similarities, and there is nothing the Dallas Stars forward can do to change that reality.
—Mac Engel
april 21, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2026
In it, a husband and wife adopt a cat, Sheila, who develops an unnerving disposition come nightfall.
—Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
The goal differential at five-on-five (162-159) might be unnerving, but the body of work speaks for itself.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
This new view was both unnerving and exhilarating.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
That unnerving bawl, which reappears at the rousing finale of the Barcelona concert, reflects the control Ciani has over her instrument, a mastery she’s built over almost 50 years of practice.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Plus, the fluidity of the situation is completely unnerving.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
But in an unnerving testament to AI’s growing pervasiveness, and unchecked acceptance, that feeling wasn’t universal.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
But the possibility of leaving northeast Lake County — Beach Park, North Chicago, Park City, Wadsworth, Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor, and Zion — without a close-in medical center is too unnerving to consider.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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 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
Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies -- unnerving the world economy.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies — unnerving the world economy.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, have given rise to increasing concerns of a global energy crisis and are unnerving the world economy.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
The feature debut from writer-director Graham Parkes is also one of three films at the fest to feature comedy star Kate Berlant, here in a double role as unnerving twin couples-therapy influencers.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
There’s something unnerving about the mundane thwack of the rhythms.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2026
Most pages exude that unnerving queasiness which results from seeing a worrying lack of paragraph breaks in the foreseeable near future.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerving
Adjective
-
The story centers on a young couple (Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny) whose lives become entangled with their volatile boss and his wife (Isaac and Carey Mulligan) after witnessing a disturbing incident at an elite country club.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Before the footage was shown, as PEOPLE previously reported, Judge George Gallagher warned those in the courtroom that the material would be disturbing.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Congress also had in mind President Woodrow Wilson’s paralyzing stroke in 1919 and President Eisenhower’s serious illnesses, including a heart attack that disabled him for six weeks.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
-
At age 14, Arias was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between rival gangs, paralyzing him from the waist down.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bermudez believes the freeway closure may be discouraging visitors from coming into the city this weekend, despite favorable weather.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
While discouraging teams from being truly awful has merit, this structure would retain the incentive for middle-of-the-road teams to become worse.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This kind of bare-knuckle politics might explain why so many other GOP leaders are uneasy.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The entire record is a Trojan horse—a clear vision of white womanhood that hides a whole lot of churning, uneasy feelings.—
Shaad D’Souza,
Pitchfork,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
From shaping complex, layered roles to creating a world that feels both opulent and unsettling, the panel will unpack the storytelling choices that bring this gripping narrative to life.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
-
What is unsettling today is how easily modern leaders still reach for religious language to evade restraint, and how fragile the institutions meant to check them can appear.—
Joëlle Rollo-Koster,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Directed by Lee Sang-min, the film stars Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won as a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The air in the room changed immediately, terrifying little Liza.—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unnerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerving. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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