unnerve

[ uhn-nurv ]

/ ʌnˈnɜrv /

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See synonyms for: unnerve / unnerved / unnerving on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), un·nerved, un·nerv·ing.

to deprive of courage, strength, determination, or confidence; upset: Fear unnerved him.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of unnerve

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use unnerve in a sentence

Neither is unnerved by her apparent anger, nor do they see her as threatening.
What Would Happen if I Got in White Cop’s Face?|Goldie Taylor|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pryor had yet to become the volatile social satirist who unnerved white industry executives and delighted black audiences.
How Richard Pryor Beat Bill Cosby and Transformed America|David Yaffe, Scott Saul|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These conclusions unnerved Kelley and eventually led him to change the focus of his career from psychiatry to criminology.
Hermann Göring’s Shrink and the Perils of the Nazi Mind|Jack El-Hai|October 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
U.S. officials are unnerved that they have not been able to pinpoint a specific target.
Fears of Al Qaeda Affiliate’s Plot Behind U.S. Travel Alert|Daniel Klaidman|August 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST

He was unnerved when he hired a grand master to tutor her in chess and, after a few months of lessons, she started beating Shaw.
The Best Bits From the Secret Ava Gardner Conversations|Filipa Ioannou|July 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The gesture unnerved him for a moment, and he had to go thumbing over the page to find his place.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
Probably the death of Akhab Khan had unnerved her, and she dared not trust to the mercy of the victors.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Paralysis has unnerved and unstrung the whole system and yet the mind has remained uninjured.
Gospel Philosophy|J. H. Ward
His chagrin, his wounded self-love, his mortification at the unexpected turn of affairs unnerved him.
The Story of Moscow|Wirt Gerrare
By the time the enemy had reached our camps many regiments had become partially formed, but they were all unnerved by the shock.
"Shiloh" as Seen by a Private Soldier|Warren Olney

British Dictionary definitions for unnerve

unnerve

/ (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

unnerve

Origin of unnerve

Words related to unnerve

How to use unnerve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for unnerve