UNHINGING Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

unhinging

verb

present participle of unhinge

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in alarming

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

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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

Verb

For example, in the 20th century there was a flawed world leader who held rigid ideologies, racial biases, and disturbing personal behaviors.

— Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
Her go-to is the Diolsty Vibrating Alarm Wristband, which vibrates discreetly to alert you without disturbing the people around you.

— Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Verb

Coolly, Violet responds that to avoid alarming the public, a few agitators have beenneutralized—now there’s a sticky euphemism—and their deaths passed off as revenge killings among drug traffickers.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
But the idea that fine adaptations of great books need to be stopping points, rather than springboards, is alarming by itself.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 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

As is the case in its sister hotel Villa la Coste, a dizzying array of frequently changing contemporary artworks are displayed to distracting effect throughout.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
His clothes and equipment, while full of detail, also aren’t festooned with distracting elements.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of distracting

Verb

His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year.

— Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of bothering

Verb

All of a sudden, the war took on a more present form, unsettling a kingdom unused to conflicts playing out on home turf.

— Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of unsettling

Verb

Part of the reason the open letter concerning Nazi Substack newsletters didn’t stick, perhaps, was that no one is reading the same things anyway.

— Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 2 Nov. 2026
Most concerning for Talarico as Hispanic turnout explodes throughout the state are accounts that Latino men aren’t sold on his candidacy.

— W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of concerning

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unhinges

unhinging

unhip

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Style

“Unhinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinging. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unhinging

verb

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