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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This paralyzes executives and creates fatigue.—
Nick Ryan,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025 -
The smaller wasp quickly stings the spider, injecting its powerful venom that does not kill but permanently paralyzes it.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Luckily, lots of matcha cups also come with a whisk holder, which discourages bacteria formation—like this handmade set that will easily fit in with your robust collection of Italian splatterware.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
10 Oct. 2025
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Michigan's Department of Natural Resources discourages people from keeping wild animals as pets.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
2 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
-
What specifically frightens you?—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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Naturally, this frustrates Marshall, not for himself, but for the countless players who lives who dedicate their lives to servicing others in need.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Even those who like parts of his agenda have been stumped about how to talk him out of the stuff that terrifies them — whiplash tariffs and a labor-depleting immigration crackdown.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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The first time terrifies every founder.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nice to know there’s stuff that scares him.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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There’s something about kidnapping that scares the fear out of you, Goldberg-Polin says.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 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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Old feelings resurface, but a racist incident unsettles their reunion.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
28 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Unnerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerves. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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