Synonyms

unnerve

American

[uhn-nurv] / ʌnˈnɜrv /

verb (used with object)

unnerved, unnerving

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

Fear unnerved him.

unnerve British

/ ʌnˈnɜːv /

verb

(tr) to cause to lose courage, strength, confidence, self-control, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unnerve

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Treacy at Apex sees any change in the Fed’s language around the risk of inflation due to geopolitical conflict as likely to unnerve investors.

From MarketWatch

The fingers on her right hand were hard and waxy, unnervingly like those of the Red Deer corpse.

From Literature

That fumbling page had unnerved me, just as much as the ceaseless tattering of branches and the gusting winds that had howled in my ears as I’d trudged across the city that night.

From Literature

The discrepancy makes for a uniquely unnerving experience, especially in a theater with a decent sound system, where every unexpected thud can feel like it’s creeping in closer and closer.

From Salon

The appearance of humanoids in a South Carolina plant has unnerved some former Schaeffler workers and enthused others.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023