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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Catching a glimpse of Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre temporarily paralyzes his victims much the same way a glance from Medusa will turn someone into stone.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025 -
The role is particularly noteworthy considering Dane announced earlier this year that he was diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that gradually paralyzes the body by destroying the nerve cells that control muscle movement.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Grok also discourages users from sharing personal or sensitive information.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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The stories have gotten so prevalent that park management discourages people from exploring the park after dark in an attempt to dissuade ghost hunters from damaging the historic sites.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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What specifically frightens you?—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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It’s been said that the filibuster empowers the minority and frustrates the majority.—
The Detroit News Editorial Board,
Twin Cities,
6 Nov. 2025
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This inconsistency frustrates drivers and reduces their confidence in public charging networks, further slowing EV adoption.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While early allergen introduction is not without complexities, the measurable reduction in peanut allergies—once the most common pediatric food allergy and one that terrifies allergy parents—signals a milestone in preventive care.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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Jesus may haunt Wendell, but Wendell terrifies Lee.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s something that scares me a little bit about not just theater, but people giving any opinions about any business.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
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From speculating that what scares people the most is anything natural (which can’t be emulated) to advising never listen to a designer, especially a man designer, Jacobs is direct.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With a name inspired by unity, strength and joy, Zayu transforms on the pitch as a striker, showcasing exceptional ingenuity and agility that intimidates defenders.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The result is slower, more volatile law-making — the kind of regulatory instability that unsettles investors.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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No humor benefits from being seen among other people so much as the kind that throws or unsettles you — a tension that is resolved, gloriously, when the audience collectively gives in and decides to roar with laughter.—
Robert Rubsam,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Unnerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerves. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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