Synonyms of unnerve

unnerve 1 of 3

verb (1)

1

as in to paralyze

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

• paralyze
• frighten
• terrify
• intimidate
• scare
• unsettle
• emasculate
• demoralize
• unman
• undo
• weaken
• debilitate
• disturb
• discourage
• terrorize
• soften
• waste
• unstring
• enervate
• daunt
• enfeeble
• upset
• dishearten
• dispirit
• sap
• neuter
• perturb
• faze
• unhinge
• dismay
• unbalance
• derange
• disquiet
• psych (out)
• tire
• prostrate
• discompose
• craze
• madden
• weird out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nerve
• strengthen
• encourage
• fortify
• embolden
• hearten

2

as in to discourage

to lessen the courage or confidence of

a figure skater can't afford to be unnerved by an occasional slipup

Synonyms & Similar Words

• discourage
• frustrate
• daunt
• intimidate
• frighten
• scare
• dishearten
• dispirit
• demoralize
• horrify
• bother
• afflict
• worry
• dismay
• chill
• unman
• browbeat
• try
• trouble
• throw cold water on
• distress
• weigh
• bully
• cow
• undermine
• weaken
• depress
• sadden
• deaden
• irk
• dampen
• vex
• debilitate
• damp
• enfeeble

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encourage
• nerve
• steel
• cheer
• embolden
• enliven
• hearten
• reinforce
• strengthen
• assure
• enforce
• reassure
• animate
• gladden
• stimulate
• fortify
• provoke
• invigorate
• excite
• inspire
• stir
• buoy (up)
• energize
• lift
• quicken
• boost
• reenforce
• rally
• galvanize

unnerving

2 of 3

adjective

as in disturbing

marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings

the unnerving news of yet another murder

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disturbing
• uneasy
• unsettling
• tense
• anxious
• nervous
• creepy
• restless
• disquieting
• distressing
• worrisome
• distressful
• fraught
• agitating
• embarrassing
• nerve-wracking
• nerve-racking
• hairy
• nail-biting
• troublesome
• strained
• awkward
• bothersome
• discouraging
• foreboding
• disheartening
• misgiving
• restive
• unrestful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• quiet
• comfortable
• peaceful
• tranquil
• calming
• restful
• quieting
• pacific

unnerving

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of unnerve

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

• paralyzing
• frightening
• terrifying
• intimidating
• scaring
• unsettling
• emasculating
• demoralizing
• undoing
• disturbing
• debilitating
• wasting
• unmanning
• discouraging
• weakening
• enervating
• upsetting
• daunting
• softening
• unstringing
• disheartening
• terrorizing
• tiring
• sapping
• enfeebling
• disquieting
• dispiriting
• maddening
• dismaying
• neutering
• perturbing
• unbalancing
• unhinging
• deranging
• crazing
• psyching (out)
• prostrating
• fazing
• discomposing
• weirding out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strengthening
• nerving
• encouraging
• fortifying
• emboldening
• heartening

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

• discouraging
• frustrating
• daunting
• frightening
• disheartening
• intimidating
• horrifying
• dispiriting
• dismaying
• chilling
• troubling
• scaring
• demoralizing
• worrying
• distressing
• bothering
• unmanning
• afflicting
• throwing cold water on
• weighing
• trying
• saddening
• bullying
• depressing
• browbeating
• debilitating
• undermining
• cowing
• deadening
• vexing
• weakening
• irking
• dampening
• damping
• enfeebling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encouraging
• cheering
• invigorating
• reinforcing
• reassuring
• enforcing
• nerving
• emboldening
• enlivening
• exciting
• heartening
• animating
• strengthening
• assuring
• steeling
• stirring
• gladdening
• stimulating
• provoking
• fortifying
• inspiring
• buoying (up)
• energizing
• lifting
• galvanizing
• quickening
• reenforcing
• boosting
• rallying