unnerve

[ uhn-nurv ]

verb (used with object)

, un·nerved, un·nerv·ing.

1. to deprive of courage, strength, determination, or confidence; upset:

   Fear unnerved him.

unnerve

/ ʌnˈnɜːv /

verb

1. tr to cause to lose courage, strength, confidence, self-control, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of unnerve¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; un- ² + nerve

Example Sentences

Even though the stock market rebounded somewhat in the ensuing days, the swiftness of the sharp decline left many investors unnerved.

From Washington Post

Take for instance the recent protests in Lagos, which have left many in the tech scene unnerved.

From Ozy

That helps explain why some investors, unnerved by the whiff of desperation surrounding the deal, reached for the ejection handle on Monday.

From Fortune

Especially the raspberry rye cookies just sort of unnerve me.

From Eater

The previous wave of excitement over the path integral in the ’80s, driven by Hawking’s work, fizzled out in part because theorists were unnerved by the accumulation of approximations.

From Quanta Magazine

More likely, it would make noises or take steps to unnerve peace with Israel in the Sinai just to show us up.

From The Daily Beast

Yesterday, China Daily reported that the collapse of the boom on the crane “may unnerve some Chinese buyers.”

From The Daily Beast

It did not reflect two decades of hostility and would unnerve our respective friends and publics.

From The Daily Beast

And it could unnerve the establishment—including the powerful Army.

From The Daily Beast

Part of her secret is her certitude, which is enough to unnerve most people.

From The Daily Beast

By old rule, you ought not to look down in crossing such a place, lest the sight of the torrent whirling below should unnerve you.

From Project Gutenberg

The groping darkness seemed to unnerve him more than anything else now—that and the awful stillness under his feet.

From Project Gutenberg

But the truth was, he acknowledged, settling back in the chair, that the situation was threatening to unnerve him completely.

From Project Gutenberg

The words almost unnerve John; he has a feeling that perhaps Heaven means to be kind and allow him the bliss he craves.

From Project Gutenberg

It staggered Ramsay and sent him reeling, but it did not unnerve him.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agitate
• bewilder
• chill
• confound
• daunt
• demoralize
• disconcert
• discourage
• dishearten
• dismay
• dispirit
• distract
• fluster
• frighten
• perturb
• rattle
• sap
• shake
• undermine
• unsettle