unhinging

verb

present participle of unhinge
1
as in disturbing
to cause to go insane or as if insane the endless harassment by the guards completely unhinged the prisoners of war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alarming
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 unhinging Burmese pythons, which can engulf an entire Presidential golfing party simply by unhinging their (the pythons’) jaws, inhabit the environs of the Gulf of Mexico, and have even been seen swimming offshore. — Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinging
  1. disturbing
  2. alarming
  3. deranging
  4. distracting
  5. unbalancing
  6. bothering
  7. unsettling
  8. concerning
Verb
  • Furthermore, the use of economic arguments to justify oppression has disturbing historical precedent.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Police Chief Paul Joseph said at a press conference on Tuesday that Lieu had a criminal history involving firearms and disturbing behavior.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • There are signs that the President is unravelling, in ways that are different from late-period Joe Biden but are alarming all the same.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Smith brought the schoolbooks to her neighbor’s house, further alarming her neighbor.
    — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarming
Verb
  • 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
  • Gabriel going missing proves to be deranging to Caroline, and the novel becomes increasingly deranged with her.
    — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of deranging
Verb
  • Today’s computers are approachable, but also distracting, argues Caligra co-founder and CEO Grant Bisset.
    — Daniel Varghese, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Maybe his conning can be curtailed someday, but the thought there’d ever be enough distracting chaos for a similarly lengthy follow-up is almost too much to bear.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of distracting
Verb
  • 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 unbalancing
Verb
  • For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
  • If neck pain keeps coming back or the lines bothering you keep getting deeper, talk with a doctor or dermatologist instead of relying on a gadget alone.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of bothering
Verb
  • But the long gearing also has its benefits in fast driving, allowing full-throttle use without overwhelming the chassis or unsettling the rear end on corner exit.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Then came the ‘70s and a spate of often schlocky but still unsettling films that married the two notions.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Verb
  • The Mipcom presentation follows a May ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court concerning the game’s intellectual property rights.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Those admissions could become important evidence in Pulido’s prosecution, although the allegations concerning him have not been tested in court.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of concerning

Browse Nearby Words

unhinges
unhinging
unhip
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unhinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinging. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fervid

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All