UNHINGE Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

unhinge

verb

ˌən-ˈhinj

Definition of unhinge

as in to disturb

to cause to go insane or as if insane the endless harassment by the guards completely unhinged the prisoners of war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to distract

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy I was momentarily unhinged by the unexpected question

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unhinge The film shot Curry Barker onto the A-list of new directing talent and made a star of Inde Navarrette and her virtuosically unhinged performance as Nikki. — Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 The music of their first decade was gloriously unhinged, and inspirational to folks from Kurt Cobain to the Flaming Lips. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026 Southern Gothic — an increasingly popular genre — revels in decay, toxic nostalgia and the unhinged. — Lo Patrick, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026 Even in her exaggerated innocence, there’s something delightfully unhinged about her. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhinge

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinge

Verb

Now investors are wondering whether the bond market’s unease is strong enough to disturb a booming stock market.

— John Towfighi, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
As a parent who has purchased my share of scary Halloween costumes, I was particularly disturbed by the controversy now engulfing Target.

— Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturb

Verb

Clancy also didn't report any attempt to stop the voice or distract herself from it, which Heilbrun said is common for people who experience such hallucinations.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Mail and Paper Piles Leaving mail and stacks of paper on coffee tables, console tables, and end tables is distracting and causes a conflict between relaxation and productive tasks, which Lee notes are two things that don't go together.

— Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of distract

Verb

This has unsettled some Pentagon officials who fear the scrutiny will invite meddling.

— Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Showers may linger into Friday, while the weekend currently trends cooler and unsettled, with additional shower chances if the front stalls out nearby.

— Bill Kelly, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of unsettle

Verb

Right-handed reliever Joel Peguero (left hamstring strain) will be shut down for the rest of the year due to a recurring hamstring strain that’s bothered him since spring training.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
McGarey’s son told his mom not to bother sending packages because people weren’t receiving them.

— Chris Quintana, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of bother

Verb

Featuring an ensemble populated by killer character actors like Jacki Weaver, Luis Guzmán, Kurtwood Smith, Timothy Spall, and Michael Chernus, Perpetual Grace, LTD is an off-kilter neo-noir that mines deranged humor from its eccentric characters.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026
Instagram demanded a certain sort of woman and then produced her, deranging broad swaths of the population in the process.

— Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026

Definition of derange

Verb

Homecoming aside, there’s still the Trawler to worry about, a fact we’re reminded of when another victim turns up on a playground, this time with a pentagram carved into his back and fish corpses shoved into his wounds.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Bessent’s answer indicates that US officials worry going after Chinese banks would be crossing a red line.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of worry

Verb

Denying the Wave a crucial 1-0 lead, no teammate could convert on a bright drive and dish by speedster Ludmila that unbalanced Seattle’s defense.

— Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
The risk is that only a handful of clubs will be able to cough up those sums, unbalancing the market.

— Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 19 May 2026

Definition of unbalance

Verb

The world’s most powerful economies are increasingly alarmed by their declining birthrates, and there’s no shortage of theories on why.

— Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
The New York Times has begun testing its first generative AI tool for readers, a step the publication hopes will improve its troubled search feature but which has also alarmed some of the paper’s journalists.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of alarm

Browse Nearby Words

unhindered

unhinge

unhinged

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Cite this Entry

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“Unhinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinge. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of unhinge

verb

Example Sentences

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