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
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Shudder is fueling its post–10-year-anniversary momentum with an instantly unnerving trailer debut — exclusive to IndieWire.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Jan. 2026
During an on-stage demonstration at this year’s CES convention in Las Vegas, Boston Dynamics showed off the agility of its humanoid Atlas robot — albeit with an unnerving degree of freedom of movement that dispels the illusion of a human entity.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 7 Jan. 2026
Bug was first staged in London in 1996 and later produced Off-Broadway in 2004, earning a reputation as one of Letts’ most unnerving works.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
After all, there's something inherently unnerving about this festive, cozy time being disrupted by dangerous intruders (Black Christmas) or murderous supernatural creatures (Krampus).
—Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Dec. 2025
Also Justin Theroux joins the cast as Rob House, an unnerving technocrat who is part of the whole puzzle of how the vaults were made and the nuclear apocalypse began.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
News of the arrest was unnerving to some residents who frequent the Oakdale Post Office.
—John Dias, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
Pursuing greater independence would mean higher taxes, social spending cuts, and possibly conscription or nuclearization—all of which are likely to be jarring and unnerving to citizens, who may vote out of office those politicians who seek the path of hedging.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Not all horror stories rely on jump scares and violent spectacle; some unearth their horrors from unnerving philosophical considerations.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Lloyd's production is handsomely realized, with striking silhouetttes courtesy of Jon Clark and unnerving sound design by Ben and Max Ringham, who add a low whirr of dread to the existential fable.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Incompetence has a way of unnerving its witnesses.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
These models often fabricate facts, citations or statistics with unnerving confidence.
—Sagar Gupta, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In the weeks before she was murdered, Goncalves recounted a series of unnerving events to Mortensen and a second surviving housemate, according to a police report released last month.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2025
Dealt with unnerving subtlety, the final blow is one of Scorsese’s most devastating character executions.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Directed by Obie Award winner David Cormer, the disturbing psychological horror thriller is an intense and unnerving examination of paranoia, love and life-altering delusion.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Shudder is fueling its post–10-year-anniversary momentum with an instantly unnerving trailer debut — exclusive to IndieWire.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Jan. 2026
During an on-stage demonstration at this year’s CES convention in Las Vegas, Boston Dynamics showed off the agility of its humanoid Atlas robot — albeit with an unnerving degree of freedom of movement that dispels the illusion of a human entity.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 7 Jan. 2026
Bug was first staged in London in 1996 and later produced Off-Broadway in 2004, earning a reputation as one of Letts’ most unnerving works.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
After all, there's something inherently unnerving about this festive, cozy time being disrupted by dangerous intruders (Black Christmas) or murderous supernatural creatures (Krampus).
—Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Dec. 2025
Also Justin Theroux joins the cast as Rob House, an unnerving technocrat who is part of the whole puzzle of how the vaults were made and the nuclear apocalypse began.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
News of the arrest was unnerving to some residents who frequent the Oakdale Post Office.
—John Dias, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
Pursuing greater independence would mean higher taxes, social spending cuts, and possibly conscription or nuclearization—all of which are likely to be jarring and unnerving to citizens, who may vote out of office those politicians who seek the path of hedging.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
Verb
Israeli forces struck Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, unnerving a White House that feared the bombing campaign would derail its efforts at diplomacy.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Not all horror stories rely on jump scares and violent spectacle; some unearth their horrors from unnerving philosophical considerations.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Lloyd's production is handsomely realized, with striking silhouetttes courtesy of Jon Clark and unnerving sound design by Ben and Max Ringham, who add a low whirr of dread to the existential fable.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Incompetence has a way of unnerving its witnesses.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
These models often fabricate facts, citations or statistics with unnerving confidence.
—Sagar Gupta, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In the weeks before she was murdered, Goncalves recounted a series of unnerving events to Mortensen and a second surviving housemate, according to a police report released last month.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2025
Dealt with unnerving subtlety, the final blow is one of Scorsese’s most devastating character executions.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerving
Adjective
-
Despite already having declared her candidacy, McKnight voiced disturbing and violent threats against Sheehy.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
-
This story contains a description of a shooting some readers may find disturbing.—
Omar Jimenez,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
At the end of his first year as CEO, a blizzard known as Winter Storm Elliott triggered an operational meltdown, stranding thousands of Southwest customers at the height of the holiday season, paralyzing the company’s point-to-point network, and plunging the company into a profit-killing crisis.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
No matter the scenario, Victor portrays PTSD as a paralyzing force with accuracy and grace—an all-too-rare combination.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
But a September report from SANDAG’s internal auditor was discouraging.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The initiative also coincides with the $100,000 H-1B application fee, introduced September 21, two days after the DOL announcement—a White House move aimed at discouraging bulk filings by staffing and outsourcing firms.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Neighbors fear rising violence Residents said the shooting has left them uneasy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
But by evening, an uneasy calm had settled across the city.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
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
-
Compared to the swooning Gothic romance of Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein is just too perverse — in an unsettling way.—
Katie Rife,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
-
At the same time, the detective assigned to the case begins to uncover secrets about Scout, along with an unsettling breakthrough in Georgia’s death.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
That’s terrifying on a whole different level.—
Will Harris,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
-
At another level, there does seem to be something absurd and even terrifying about the idea that someone who is not elected can become the leader of a country and then will be recognized as the leader of that country and receive the immunities afforded to heads of state.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unnerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerving. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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