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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unnerve
That his girlfriend lives in a world where she’s remained unaware of any of these movies unnerves him.
—
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
Since President Trump took office in January, Head Start centers have been unnerved by an escalating series of threats, including, most recently, total annihilation.
—Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Briony then leads Jamie down a line of questioning that unnerves him.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
Several workers said that this indefinite period of leave has only unnerved them further as agencies eye deep additional cuts ordered by President Trump.
—Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unnerve
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
Since President Trump took office in January, Head Start centers have been unnerved by an escalating series of threats, including, most recently, total annihilation.
—Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Briony then leads Jamie down a line of questioning that unnerves him.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
Several workers said that this indefinite period of leave has only unnerved them further as agencies eye deep additional cuts ordered by President Trump.
—Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unnerve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerve
Verb
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This clarity prevents the confusion about who's in charge that often paralyzes organizations.—
Jennifer J. Fondrevay,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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The closures have angered local business owners and caused congestion on detour routes that frequently paralyzes the streets of Wharton along with surrounding communities in Morris County.—
Jared Kofsky,
ABC News,
17 May 2025
Verb
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That guidance similarly discourages blanket exclusions and encourages individualized assessments that consider the nature of the offense, its recency, and its relevance to the job.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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State wildlife biologists and Parks and Wildlife officials said killing the wolf is meant to change pack behavior by discouraging the predators from targeting livestock.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
30 May 2025
Verb
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By sharing a visual insight into their space, Spencer hopes people won’t be frightened by the unknown.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
22 May 2025
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Meanwhile, in the real world, Netflix’s release strategy continues to frighten and confuse.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
19 May 2025
Verb
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His Democratic Party predecessor, Moon Jae-in, had three years with a near supermajority in the legislature but had his agenda frustrated by party colleagues with little appetite for painful corrective measures.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
29 May 2025
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Musk was reportedly frustrated about OpenAI being part of the deal and allegedly warned G42 officials on a call that Trump would not sign off on a deal unless his company xAI was included.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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He was covered in an oily substance, terrified, and wouldn’t eat.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Because of the history of the farm, the workers were terrified by Guerra Ortiz’s threats, prosecutors said.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Democrats have said the Trump administration is trying to intimidate them out of performing their role overseeing how the executive branch implements laws.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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The guys who are willing to intimidate by hurting people will always win.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The employee said to not shoot the bear and advised him to call Public Safety to scare it away, officials said, adding that what likely attracted the bear to the man’s home were food items, including cat food and unclean grills.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
25 May 2025
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This is the second bill DeSantis has signed in Florida on swatting, or making false police reports to scare victims by sending law enforcement to their home.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unnerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerve. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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