unnerve
verb (used with object)
to deprive of courage, strength, determination, or confidence; upset.
was unnerving
-
past progressiveof unnerve.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
For assets that many investors treat as protection, the speed and scale of the wipeout in gold and silver on Friday was unnerving.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 30, 2026
It was unnerving to receive a flood of notices; the Instagram video was viewed hundred, thousands, then millions of times.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2024
While the string of headline-grabbing incidents was unnerving, there were other significant ones that have not been publicly reported.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 21, 2023
It was unnerving to watch, as otters have powerful jaws that can crack through the shells of crabs, mussels, sea urchins and other food sources.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2023
It was unnerving; Koffi hadn’t heard their entrance, the hut’s flap certainly hadn’t opened, but here they were, at least twenty of them.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
