unnerve

verb

un·​nerve ˌən-ˈnərv How to pronounce unnerve (audio)
unnerved; unnerving; unnerves
Synonyms of unnervenext

transitive verb

1
: to deprive of courage, strength, or steadiness
2
: to cause to become nervous : upset
unnervingly
ˌən-ˈnər-viŋ-lē How to pronounce unnerve (audio)
adverb

Synonyms

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Choose the Right Synonym for unnerve

unnerve, enervate, unman, emasculate mean to deprive of strength or vigor and the capacity for effective action.

unnerve implies marked often temporary loss of courage, self-control, or power to act.

unnerved by the near collision

enervate suggests a gradual physical or moral weakening (as through luxury or indolence) until one is too feeble to make an effort.

a nation's youth enervated by affluence and leisure

unman implies a loss of manly vigor, fortitude, or spirit.

a soldier unmanned by the terrors of battle

emasculate stresses a depriving of characteristic force by removing something essential.

an amendment that emasculates existing safeguards

Examples of unnerve in a Sentence

Seeing the police in there unnerved me. She was unnerved by his strange manner.
Recent Examples on the Web Those labor strikes were unprecedented, but the revelations around Cruise’s back-and-forth with regulators were also unnerving GM shareholders. —Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 16 May 2024 According to a new biography, Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy by Elizabeth Beller, excerpted in this week’s issue of PEOPLE, Diana’s death after a high-speed chase by photographers in Paris unnerved Carolyn. —People Staff, Peoplemag, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for unnerve 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unnerve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unnerve was in 1603

Dictionary Entries Near unnerve

unneighborly

unnerve

unnest

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Unnerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unnerve. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

unnerve

verb
un·​nerve ˌən-ˈnərv How to pronounce unnerve (audio)
ˈən-
unnerved; unnerving
: to deprive of nerve, courage, or self-control
the accident unnerved me

More from Merriam-Webster on unnerve

Nglish: Translation of unnerve for Spanish Speakers

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