as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the unnerving news of yet another murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in paralyzing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discouraging
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 unnerving
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
The unnerving look at 17th-century paranoia is seen through the eyes of a young New England teenager (Anya Taylor-Joy).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
That’s certainly not unique to McCarthy’s work, but the windup rabbit toy in Caveat is distinctly unnerving, thanks in large part to its weirdly human eyes.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
The 1960 movie — powered by Bernard Herrmann's chilling score, Anthony Perkins' unnerving portrayal of hotel manager Norman Bates (for the movie, much younger than the character in Bloch's novel) and Hitchcock's uncanny showmanship — revolutionized the horror genre.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
The Reddit user, who took to the platform under u/schloinkdoink on September 23, described the unnerving discovery in a now-viral post that has been upvoted more than 1,200 times.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Instead, Silent Hill f takes its protagonist to haunting grounds squarely her own, using Japanese folklore, myths, and other legends to paint the unnerving small town.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
But for another type of person—one who feels personally, professionally, or even ideologically invested in the culture and traditions of tattooing—this trend will be unnerving.
—John Semley, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Talking to CaBot was both empowering and unnerving.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Not all horror stories rely on jump scares and violent spectacle; some unearth their horrors from unnerving philosophical considerations.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Lloyd's production is handsomely realized, with striking silhouetttes courtesy of Jon Clark and unnerving sound design by Ben and Max Ringham, who add a low whirr of dread to the existential fable.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Incompetence has a way of unnerving its witnesses.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
These models often fabricate facts, citations or statistics with unnerving confidence.
—Sagar Gupta, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In the weeks before she was murdered, Goncalves recounted a series of unnerving events to Mortensen and a second surviving housemate, according to a police report released last month.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2025
Dealt with unnerving subtlety, the final blow is one of Scorsese’s most devastating character executions.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The concept of the bells tolling is deeply unnerving and eerie in a way that stays with you long after the credits roll.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
The unnerving look at 17th-century paranoia is seen through the eyes of a young New England teenager (Anya Taylor-Joy).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
That’s certainly not unique to McCarthy’s work, but the windup rabbit toy in Caveat is distinctly unnerving, thanks in large part to its weirdly human eyes.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
The 1960 movie — powered by Bernard Herrmann's chilling score, Anthony Perkins' unnerving portrayal of hotel manager Norman Bates (for the movie, much younger than the character in Bloch's novel) and Hitchcock's uncanny showmanship — revolutionized the horror genre.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
The Reddit user, who took to the platform under u/schloinkdoink on September 23, described the unnerving discovery in a now-viral post that has been upvoted more than 1,200 times.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Instead, Silent Hill f takes its protagonist to haunting grounds squarely her own, using Japanese folklore, myths, and other legends to paint the unnerving small town.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
But for another type of person—one who feels personally, professionally, or even ideologically invested in the culture and traditions of tattooing—this trend will be unnerving.
—John Semley, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Talking to CaBot was both empowering and unnerving.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Israeli forces struck Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, unnerving a White House that feared the bombing campaign would derail its efforts at diplomacy.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Not all horror stories rely on jump scares and violent spectacle; some unearth their horrors from unnerving philosophical considerations.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Lloyd's production is handsomely realized, with striking silhouetttes courtesy of Jon Clark and unnerving sound design by Ben and Max Ringham, who add a low whirr of dread to the existential fable.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Incompetence has a way of unnerving its witnesses.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
These models often fabricate facts, citations or statistics with unnerving confidence.
—Sagar Gupta, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In the weeks before she was murdered, Goncalves recounted a series of unnerving events to Mortensen and a second surviving housemate, according to a police report released last month.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2025
Dealt with unnerving subtlety, the final blow is one of Scorsese’s most devastating character executions.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerving
Adjective
-
So much of what happens in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is disturbing — in particular, the character of Leatherface, the menacing, basement-dwelling killer who eats people and wears their faces after killing them.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
What makes this even more disturbing is the involvement of teenagers, alcohol, and guns at a large house party.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Discipline without optimism is paralyzing.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Shortly after Henry’s death, Augusta suffered two paralyzing strokes, intensifying her and Ed’s isolated, co-dependent relationship before her death in 1945.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The opposing view is that discouraging tourists could hurt local economies that rely on them.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Trump is attacking immigration at both ends of spectrum, deporting low-wage laborers and discouraging skilled foreigners from bringing their talents to the United States.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lawler, the best known of the young actors thanks to her breakout work in Station Eleven, brings welcome awkward humor, while Stack, with the series’ most complex character, conveys an uneasy grasp on sanity that the rest of the show isn’t really prepared to deal with.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
-
BofA also points to a record 54% of investors who now believe that AI stocks are in a bubble, according to its most recent Global Fund Manager Survey—another reason for heightened vigilance around the market’s uneasy exuberance.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Instances of swatting have been plaguing the nation for years, with fake shooting threats frightening the public and forcing schools, hospitals, grocery stores, office buildings, and airports into temporary lockdowns.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Louise Hémon The jury would also like to acknowledge a director whose film transported us into an extreme landscape, and created an unsettling atmosphere that kept us contemplating the nature of lust, education, and violence.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Soon, though, her world is turned upside down by an unsettling and persistent stalker — or just a figment of her own fracturing psyche.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That should already be terrifying enough, regardless of what happens next.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The dramatic incident comes during an already tense period in aviation, with significant delays and staffing shortages due to the government shutdown.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Her boyfriend left the party early, and things were tense between them afterward.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unnerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerving. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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