Synonyms of unnerve

unnerve 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˌən-ˈnərv 

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)
• lift
• energize
• quicken
• boost
• 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
• nervous
• anxious
• creepy
• restless
• disquieting
• distressing
• worrisome
• distressful
• fraught
• agitating
• embarrassing
• nerve-racking
• hairy
• nail-biting
• troublesome
• awkward
• strained
• 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
• exciting
• enlivening
• heartening
• strengthening
• animating
• assuring
• steeling
• stirring
• gladdening
• stimulating
• provoking
• fortifying
• inspiring
• buoying (up)
• energizing
• lifting
• galvanizing
• quickening
• boosting
• rallying

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb unnerve differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of unnerve are emasculate, enervate, and unman. While all these words mean "to deprive of strength or vigor and the capacity for effective action," unnerve implies marked often temporary loss of courage, self-control, or power to act.

unnerved by the near collision

When can emasculate be used instead of unnerve?

In some situations, the words emasculate and unnerve are roughly equivalent. However, emasculate stresses a depriving of characteristic force by removing something essential.

an amendment that emasculates existing safeguards

Where would enervate be a reasonable alternative to unnerve?

The words enervate and unnerve are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, enervate suggests a gradual physical or moral weakening (as through luxury or indolence) until one is too feeble to make an effort.

a nation's youth enervated by affluence and leisure

When is unman a more appropriate choice than unnerve?

The synonyms unman and unnerve are sometimes interchangeable, but unman implies a loss of manly vigor, fortitude, or spirit.

a soldier unmanned by the terrors of battle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unnerve

Verb

Trump’s recent clashes with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war have also unnerved some young conservatives. — Charlie Sabgir, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026

Perhaps coincidentally, OpenAI is considering delaying its IPO, The New York Times reported, with executives unnerved by SpaceX’s volatile debut and stock-market choppiness. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 26 June 2026

Adjective

All in all, the audiovisual atmosphere teased here feels unnerving. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026

Advertisement Steury knew a veterinarian in Alabama who had an unnerving encounter. — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026

Verb

Two decades ago, Pratt’s unnerving talent for getting as much attention as possible secured him a spot on a TV show. — Louis Staples, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026

Still, Hollywood, and its significance to moviemaking, has a singular, unnerving allure on her. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026