as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the unnerving news of yet another murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in paralyzing
to deprive of courage or confidence
the riding accident so unnerved me that for a while I was afraid to get back on a horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discouraging
to lessen the courage or confidence of
a figure skater can't afford to be unnerved by an occasional slipup
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerving
Adjective
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But even for Ye, his abrupt public embrace of antisemitism and counterintuitive right-wing political rhetoric, resulting in his bringing avowed white nationalist Nick Fuentes to dine with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, has been disturbing.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
7 Feb. 2025 -
During the investigation, other facility staff showed deputies a disturbing video that was sent to them in a group chat from Rice.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But soon, Salinas found herself under a monthslong investigation, trying to fight off paralyzing depression while processing her grief and caring for her other children.—
Shoshana Walter,
USA TODAY,
11 Dec. 2024
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Yoon had tried to justify his decree with accusations that lawmakers were paralyzing his government, sympathizing with North Korea and refusing to pass his budget.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Indoor humidity levels are low in winter, and a room humidifier can help plants avoid stress while discouraging pests like spider mites.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Jan. 2025
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The administration's actions are seen as expanding federal control and discouraging state innovation in healthcare programs.—
Steve Brozak,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Bochner began working in the wake of Abstract Expressionism, whose emphasis on artistic genius, painterly excellence, and formalism left many of his generation feeling uneasy.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
14 Feb. 2025
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This has posed a problem for the Kremlin, which does not want to be seen clamping down on those who are essentially patriots but may be uneasy with warts-and-all accounts of Russian battlefield setbacks.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Equal parts exhilarating and unsettling, many fans crowned Lamar victorious in the beef, especially after the spat led to litigation.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
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But Syrian human rights groups and locals have publicized unsettling accounts of summary executions and disappearances of Alawites.—
Fawaz A. Gerges,
Foreign Affairs,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The game got tense in the third with the Spartans holding a 21-point lead.—
Nathan Canilao,
The Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2025
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But just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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This new era of AI can feel intimidating for the limited, human life forms that created it.—
Marc Zao-Sanders,
Harvard Business Review,
17 Dec. 2024
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Only six years older than Crystal, the comedian still found Scorsese intimidating.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Socially anxious and snobby, Victoria is dedicated to keeping her three children on the same affluent life path she's followed.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA TODAY,
18 Feb. 2025
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That is a disconcerting, even chilling prospect for sources in the news division, who see the legendary house of Murrow and Cronkite caught in the middle as controlling Paramount Global shareholder Shari Redstone is anxious to close the transaction.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2025
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Thesaurus Entries Near unnerving
Cite this Entry
“Unnerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerving. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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