Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense unnerves, present participle unnerving, past tense, past participle unnerved
verb
If you say that something unnerves you, you mean that it worries or troubles you.
The news about Dermot had unnerved me. [VERB noun]
Tony was unnerved by the uncanny familiarity of her face. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: shake, upset, disconcert, disturb More Synonyms of unnerve
unnerve in British English
(ʌnˈnɜːv)
verb
(transitive)
to cause to lose courage, strength, confidence, self-control, etc
unnerve in American English
(ʌnˈnɜrv)
verb transitiveWord forms: unˈnerved or unˈnerving
1.
to cause to lose one's courage, self-confidence, etc.
2.
to make feel weak, nervous, etc.
SYNONYMY NOTE: unnerve implies a causing to lose courage or self-control as by shocking, dismaying, etc.[the screams unnerved her]; enervate implies a gradual loss of strength or vitality, as because of climate, indolence,etc. [enervating heat]; unman implies a loss of manly courage, fortitude, or spirit [he was so unmanned by the news that he broke into tears]
Examples of 'unnerve' in a sentence
unnerve
Rising inflation, weaker growth and more debt issuance are unnerving investors, who are demanding better returns for their money.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is the price that is slightly unnerving.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There is something very unnerving about being on a bicycle whose trajectory you do not control.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The slowdown in sales has unnerved its investors.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
At first it can be a slightly unnerving experience but drivers find they get used to it quickly.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It is all a bit unnerving.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The tumble in the value of the rouble is not just bruising; it is quite unnerving.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
People find something really unnerving in those who don't drink.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It's also a little bit unnerving.
The Sun (2015)
Either way, standing in front of it is a bit unnerving.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
That night we went out - but it was a bit weird and unnerving that she remembered me.
The Sun (2015)
There's something deeply unnerving about having a device that can read your thoughts and emotions strapped to your head.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A bit unnerving in front of 5,000 student pastors.
Christianity Today (2000)
He said: 'It is reassuring but also quite unnerving.
The Sun (2008)
It is funny, emotional and sometimes slightly unnerving, with great characters.
The Sun (2008)
For the regular polish wearer, there's something slightly unnerving about baring all with clear polish.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Instead I find it slightly unnerving.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Still, his government seems to have been unable to resist exploiting the ruling for nationalistic purposes, unnerving investors.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There are more similarities than differences but until you get used to it, the set-up of the courses can be quite unnerving.
Peter McEvoy For Love or Money (2006)
Which is why it was probably quite unnerving for the bespectacled man looking out of his window at me, a grown man, wobbling in his general direction.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
unnerve
British English: unnerve VERB
If you say that something unnerves you, you mean that it worries or troubles you.
The news about my colleague had unnerved me.
American English: unnerve
Brazilian Portuguese: amedrontar
Chinese: 使不安
European Spanish: poner nervioso
French: troubler
German: entnerven
Italian: turbare
Japanese: ろうばいさせる
Korean: 걱정시키다
European Portuguese: amedrontar
Latin American Spanish: poner nervioso
(verb)
Definition
to cause to lose courage, confidence, or self-control
The news about Dermot had unnerved me.
Synonyms
shake
The news of his escape had shaken them all.
upset
She warned me not to say anything to upset him.
disconcert
My lack of response clearly disconcerted him.
disturb
He had been disturbed by the news of the attack.
intimidate
Attempts to intimidate people into voting for them failed.
frighten
Most children are frightened by the sight of blood.
rattle (informal)
She refused to be rattled by his lawyer.
discourage
Don't let this setback discourage you.
dismay
He was dismayed to learn that he wasn't a very nice person.
daunt
Nothing evil could daunt them.
disarm
confound
fluster
She was calm. Nothing could fluster her.
faze
unman
demoralize
One of the objectives is to demoralize enemy troops.
unhinge
psych out (informal)
throw off balance
dishearten
These conditions dishearten people and undermine their hope.
dispirit
Opposites
encourage
,
strengthen
,
hearten
,
support
,
arm
,
steel
,
nerve
,
brace
,
gee up
Additional synonyms
in the sense of daunt
Nothing evil could daunt them.
Synonyms
discourage,
alarm,
shake,
frighten,
scare,
terrify,
cow,
intimidate,
deter,
dismay,
put off,
subdue,
overawe,
frighten off,
dishearten,
dispirit
in the sense of demoralize
Definition
to deprive (someone) of confidence or enthusiasm
One of the objectives is to demoralize enemy troops.
Synonyms
dishearten,
undermine,
discourage,
shake,
depress,
weaken,
rattle (informal),
daunt,
unnerve,
disconcert,
psych out (informal),
disempower,
dispirit,
deject
in the sense of disconcert
Definition
to disturb the confidence or self-possession of
My lack of response clearly disconcerted him.
Synonyms
disturb,
worry,
trouble,
upset,
confuse,
rattle (informal),
baffle,
put off,
unsettle,
bewilder,
shake up (informal),
undo,
flurry,
agitate,
ruffle,
perplex,
unnerve,
unbalance,
take aback,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
flummox,
throw off balance,
nonplus,
abash,
discompose,
put out of countenance
Nearby words of
unnerve
unnamed
unnatural
unnecessary
unnerve
unnerving
unnoticed
unobtrusive
Synonyms of 'unnerve'
unnerve
Explore 'unnerve' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of discourage
Definition
to deprive of the will or enthusiasm to persist in something
Don't let this setback discourage you.
Synonyms
dishearten,
daunt,
deter,
crush,
put off,
depress,
cow,
dash,
intimidate,
dismay,
unnerve,
unman,
overawe,
demoralize,
cast down,
put a damper on,
psych out (informal),
dispirit,
deject
in the sense of dishearten
Definition
to weaken or destroy the hope, courage, or enthusiasm of
These conditions dishearten people and undermine their hope.
Synonyms
discourage,
depress,
crush,
dash,
deter,
dismay,
daunt,
cast down,
dispirit,
deject
in the sense of dismay
Definition
to fill with alarm or depression
He was dismayed to learn that he wasn't a very nice person.
Synonyms
disappoint,
upset,
sadden,
dash,
discourage,
put off,
daunt,
disillusion,
let down,
vex,
chagrin,
dishearten,
dispirit,
disenchant,
disgruntle
in the sense of disturb
Definition
to upset or worry
He had been disturbed by the news of the attack.
Synonyms
upset,
concern,
worry,
trouble,
shake,
excite,
alarm,
confuse,
distress,
distract,
dismay,
unsettle,
agitate,
ruffle,
confound,
unnerve,
vex,
fluster,
perturb,
derange,
discompose
in the sense of fluster
Definition
to make or become nervous or upset
She was calm. Nothing could fluster her.
Synonyms
upset,
bother,
disturb,
ruffle,
heat,
excite,
confuse,
hurry,
rattle (informal),
bustle,
hassle (informal),
flurry,
agitate,
confound,
unnerve,
perturb,
throw off balance,
make nervous
in the sense of frighten
Definition
to terrify or scare
Most children are frightened by the sight of blood.
Synonyms
scare,
shock,
alarm,
terrify,
cow,
appal,
startle,
intimidate,
dismay,
daunt,
unnerve,
petrify,
unman,
terrorize,
scare (someone) stiff,
put the wind up (someone) (informal),
scare the living daylights out of (someone) (informal),
make your hair stand on end (informal),
get the wind up,
make your blood run cold,
throw into a panic,
scare the bejesus out of (informal),
affright (archaic),
freeze your blood,
make (someone) jump out of their skin (informal),
throw into a fright
in the sense of intimidate
Definition
to subdue or influence (someone) through fear
Attempts to intimidate people into voting for them failed.