Definition of unmannext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb unman differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of unman are emasculate, enervate, and unnerve. While all these words mean "to deprive of strength or vigor and the capacity for effective action," unman implies a loss of manly vigor, fortitude, or spirit.

a soldier unmanned by the terrors of battle

In what contexts can emasculate take the place of unman?

The words emasculate and unman are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, emasculate stresses a depriving of characteristic force by removing something essential.

an amendment that emasculates existing safeguards

Where would enervate be a reasonable alternative to unman?

The words enervate and unman can be used in similar contexts, but enervate suggests a gradual physical or moral weakening (as through luxury or indolence) until one is too feeble to make an effort.

a nation's youth enervated by affluence and leisure

When is it sensible to use unnerve instead of unman?

While in some cases nearly identical to unman, unnerve implies marked often temporary loss of courage, self-control, or power to act.

unnerved by the near collision

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unman
Verb
  • The standoff has paralyzed one of the council’s most consequential bodies and left a growing backlog of zoning proposals in limbo as the committee reviews zoning changes required to begin construction projects of all kinds across the city.
    Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
  • In May 2024, a cyberattack paralyzed many of the organization’s digital resources, affecting electronic medical records systems, prescriptions and refills, credit card payments, processing of electronic lab and radiology orders and access to its patient portal online.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The income that a proficiency with needle and thread commands relative to the skills needed and the physical toll of bending over detailed work for hours likely discourages teenagers and young adults from heeding Bae’s advice, fashion industry experts said.
    Anne D’Innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
  • In 2019, the odds for the three worst teams were flattened, as a way to discourage teams from racing to the bottom.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • There’s no surefire way to frighten bees and other stinger pollinators from your home, but there are ways to make your living space less attractive to them.
    Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 7 Apr. 2026
  • When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Despite that, Bunnell and his neighbor, Tom Williams, who received the same notice, are frustrated by the inconvenience.
    Luzdelia Caballero, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Homeowners across Central Florida have been frustrated to find their piles of dead leaves, branches and plants — victims of February’s hard freeze — still sitting on their curbs because waste haulers haven’t picked it up on time.
    Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Less than a week after the Rangers selected him in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Adam Sýkora stood 100 stories above downtown Manhattan, terrified.
    Peter Baugh, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The Hand & The Eye likely will open with little in the way of advance reservations, a situation that would terrify most producers of live entertainment.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Forney girls soccer team is filled with underclassmen, but the young Jackrabbits were not at all intimidated by Southlake Carroll and its deep tradition.
    Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2026
  • At the Greeley plant, union officials said the company tried to intimidate workers to quit the union in one-on-one meetings, union general counsel Matt Shechter said.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The coyote grabbed the boy and took him to the ground before a nearby adult rushed over and scared the animal away.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
  • That didn’t scare off the Mets, who signed him to a two-year deal in December and invited him to spring training.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • No matter what agenda the president espoused—the economic pragmatism of Rafsanjani, the liberal aspirations of Mohammad Khatami, the populist provocations of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the nuclear diplomacy of Hassan Rouhani—Khamenei emasculated him.
    Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
  • In the political sphere—an arena that’s increasingly entangled with social media—figures such as Elon Musk decry empathy as an emasculating plague.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Unman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unman. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

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