1
as in paralyzes
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discourages
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerves
Verb
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For example, the curare plant poisons used by South and Central American hunters paralyzes the respiratory system.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
7 Jan. 2026 -
Turning his challenge into a mission and helping others overcome what paralyzes them.—
Isabella Kunde,
CBS News,
2 Dec. 2025
Verb
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TxDOT strongly discourages travel when snow or ice is on the road, and the same goes for airports.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Jan. 2026
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Road precautions The EMSA strongly discourages any type of travel, including driving, due to icy road conditions.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Baker says what frightens her most is whether younger generations will ever be able to step off that wheel — to build generational wealth through homeownership.—
Elizabeth Prann,
The Hill,
10 Nov. 2025
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Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?—
Fiction Non Fiction
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That just frustrates me incredibly.—
Angus Chen,
STAT,
8 Jan. 2026
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Their research isn’t finished yet, which sometimes frustrates residents, Wang said.—
Jack Prator,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rows sit silent at Karmel Mall as the immigration crackdown terrifies customers and workers, paralyzing the economic hub for Minneapolis’s largest Somali population.—
Sarah Raza,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
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That terrifies me to try to adapt something.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Is there somewhere that scares you?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Jan. 2026
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The burgeoning star forward was battered and bruised throughout the night, playing through brief injury scares to a knee and an elbow.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Independent groups like Human Rights Watch say the Venezuelan government intimidates human rights advocates, arrests and detains protesters and harasses journalists.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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Before his luck runs out, Robert is saved by a very pissed off Blonde Blazer, who intimidates Shroud’s crew with the bluff of backup, or at least killing half the gang.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Geon-young’s detainment has upset the Prosecutors’ Office, which in turn unsettles Chief Na (Oh Dae-suk), who is Cheon’s main rival within the presidential cabinet.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
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Friday’s arrival, relatively late in the book, unsettles unexpected elements of Crusoe’s order, while altering and rebuilding others.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
31 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Unnerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerves. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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