as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the unnerving news of yet another murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerving
Adjective
-
This is a dark and disturbing script that, circa 1996, would have been better handled by Darren Aronofsky or David Fincher.—
Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante,
EW.com,
27 Jan. 2025 -
Nakamura, the father, was interned along with his Japanese American family during WWII, a shameful and disturbing period in 20th-century American history that has never been fully acknowledged or dealt with on a national level.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
The administration's actions are seen as expanding federal control and discouraging state innovation in healthcare programs.—
Steve Brozak,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Add Vargas to the long list of Americans who have been uneasy about TikTok’s future.—
Jeff Gluck,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
-
For all of their uneasy gazing and silent discernment, artful visages are a key element in the decor.—
Leilani Marie Labong,
Architectural Digest,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Yes, some of the gross body-horror stuff is very unsettling, but that’s not enough to make this a good movie.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
-
And to think that the ground is ever-changing, well, that's a bit unsettling.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Saturday’s Big 12 headliner should be a physical, tense and narrow affair.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
-
These chips are at the center of a tense technological competition between the United States and China.—
Cade Metz,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Only six years older than Crystal, the comedian still found Scorsese intimidating.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
For example, someone not willing to open up to you about certain aspects of their personal life can be interpreted as personal rejection, which may trigger defensive or anxious behaviors.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
-
More than a few have faced foreclosure, leaving owners anxious about the need to get tenants back in their buildings or find another use for the millions of unused square feet.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Thesaurus Entries Near unnerving
Cite this Entry
“Unnerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerving. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share