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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the unnerving news of yet another murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unnerve
Alex Stambaugh, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Mary said Nathan’s erratic behavior unnerved her and Seraphine.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
Real Madrid’s £150million attack could not unnerve this inexperienced, improvised and hard-working band, put together for a comparable £2.5m, over 180 minutes.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump has made his fixation on Greenland abundantly clear—enough so to unnerve many of the people who live there.
—Brett Simpson, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unnerve
Verb
Sudden acts of violence targeting random members of the public, including school children, have surged across the country in recent years as economic growth stutters, unnerving a population long accustomed low rates of violent crime and ubiquitous surveillance.
—Alex Stambaugh, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Mary said Nathan’s erratic behavior unnerved her and Seraphine.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
Real Madrid’s £150million attack could not unnerve this inexperienced, improvised and hard-working band, put together for a comparable £2.5m, over 180 minutes.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump has made his fixation on Greenland abundantly clear—enough so to unnerve many of the people who live there.
—Brett Simpson, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unnerve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerve
Adjective
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The lack of caring about my childhood was so disturbing.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2025
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Furthermore, there is often an undercurrent of mysticism surrounding the egg, with birth and death at the center—a dualism as true as it is sometimes disturbing.—
Irene Coltrinari,
Vogue,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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These chewy ginger candies are her secret weapon for taming an uneasy stomach naturally.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2025
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The Wall Street firm predicted that international institutional investors could be rethinking their appetite and risk-reward in U.S. investments as the current uneasy macroenvironment keeps them on edge.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Squeezing into the narrow confines, the clang of the metal doors closing and the nearness of their neighbors can be unsettling, if not downright dangerous.—
Dana O'Neil,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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That's unsettling for Mobile native Darron Patterson.—
Debbie Elliott,
NPR,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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The composition is credited to the film’s actors Lola Kirke, Peter Dreams, Brian Dunphy, Darren Holden and Jack O'Connell, who perform it in a quieter moment in the movie, breaking up the action and some tense storytelling.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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The arrival of a little orphan girl challenges their sense of solidarity in a tense social climate, revealing both their fragility and strength.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
11 May 2025
Adjective
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This productivity decline stems from several factors: Workplace morale deteriorates Remaining employees absorb additional responsibilities Teams become anxious about future job security When employees question whether their leaders truly value them, their enthusiasm and dedication suffer.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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Nobel laureates, such as MIT’s Daron Acemoglu, are worried about its capacity to worsen income inequalities, and ordinary American workers are anxious about AI’s impact on jobs.—
Bhaskar Chakravorti,
Harvard Business Review,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Dellow was nervous about rush hour traffic, but the Uber dropped Nikishin off at 6:45 p.m. at the airport.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Your younger colleague is nervous about each conversation.—
Jay Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Coraline features terrific voice performances by Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher, and a tone that perfectly rides the line between creepy and spellbinding.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
EW.com,
10 May 2025
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The 1988 original is a creepy comedy classic, and its supernatural sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, was also a hit at the box office, grossing more than $400 million worldwide.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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At one point, the crowd in Los Angeles was growing restless, Ms. Reese said, with people pushing one another to reach the front.—
Alisha Haridasani Gupta,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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Last weekend, the sun was particularly restless, unleashing eight M-class solar flares between Friday and Monday.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unnerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerve. Accessed 15 May. 2025.
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