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
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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
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Recent Examples of unnerves
But their calls for autonomous rule, if not an independent state, unnerves Iranians and raises fears of fragmentation—especially given the presence of other ethnic minorities within Iran's borders, including Arabs and Baluchs.
—
Karl Vick, Time, 16 Mar. 2026
Karl Vick, Time, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerves
Verb
-
Once an octopus ambushes and bites its prey, the venom in its saliva paralyzes the prey, allowing the octopus to consume it.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Monster blizzard paralyzes Northeast with extreme snow, soaring power outages.—
,
FOXNews.com,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Dare Market app allows people to challenge one another to complete dares for prizes or money, but discourages users from breaking any laws, Perfito said.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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That ruling comes after a federal appeals court sided with Kalshi over New Jersey last month, boosting the fledgling industry’s hopes that the Supreme Court takes up the issue — and discourages Congress from passing any bill that might protect states’ lane.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
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Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Start with the room that frustrates you most, identify what’s creating clutter and look for a single piece of furniture that solves two problems at once.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2026
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The person at the cash register has to stop helping other customers to try and track down the booth owner, which holds up the line and frustrates everybody.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Frankly, the thought of being beaten by the subscribers terrifies me.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Aubry Bracco is the kind of player who terrifies a certain (male) demographic of Survivor alumni.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The public scares me, mobs scare me.—
Liz McNeil,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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That's what scares people who spoke with CBS News Baltimore.—
Ashley Paul,
CBS News,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
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The aura of the classical guitar intimidates me.—
Peter Wayne Moe,
Longreads,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
An unexpected visitor at the ER later unsettles both patients and staff.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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That’s because Texas terrorizes people from start to finish with its tenacious, arm-waving, in-your-face defense that completely unsettles opponents and takes them out of their offense.—
Kirk Bohls,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unnerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerves. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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