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
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Recent Examples of unnerving
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
In her latest Netflix action effort, Theron plays a woman who sets off on a trip to Australia to soothe her grief but unwittingly crosses paths with Egerton’s unnerving hunter, who forces her into a game of cat and mouse.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Jason Robertson isn’t quite Ralph Cox, but there are unnerving similarities, and there is nothing the Dallas Stars forward can do to change that reality.
—Mac Engel
april 21, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2026
In it, a husband and wife adopt a cat, Sheila, who develops an unnerving disposition come nightfall.
—Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
The goal differential at five-on-five (162-159) might be unnerving, but the body of work speaks for itself.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
This new view was both unnerving and exhilarating.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
That unnerving bawl, which reappears at the rousing finale of the Barcelona concert, reflects the control Ciani has over her instrument, a mastery she’s built over almost 50 years of practice.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Plus, the fluidity of the situation is completely unnerving.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
The White House is attempting to manage a large-scale military confrontation with an undefined exit strategy—a confrontation that is unnerving markets.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies -- unnerving the world economy.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies — unnerving the world economy.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, have given rise to increasing concerns of a global energy crisis and are unnerving the world economy.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
The feature debut from writer-director Graham Parkes is also one of three films at the fest to feature comedy star Kate Berlant, here in a double role as unnerving twin couples-therapy influencers.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
There’s something unnerving about the mundane thwack of the rhythms.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2026
Most pages exude that unnerving queasiness which results from seeing a worrying lack of paragraph breaks in the foreseeable near future.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Some reported hearing the same unnerving screams in other parts of the state.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
In her latest Netflix action effort, Theron plays a woman who sets off on a trip to Australia to soothe her grief but unwittingly crosses paths with Egerton’s unnerving hunter, who forces her into a game of cat and mouse.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Jason Robertson isn’t quite Ralph Cox, but there are unnerving similarities, and there is nothing the Dallas Stars forward can do to change that reality.
—Mac Engel
april 21, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2026
In it, a husband and wife adopt a cat, Sheila, who develops an unnerving disposition come nightfall.
—Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
The goal differential at five-on-five (162-159) might be unnerving, but the body of work speaks for itself.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
This new view was both unnerving and exhilarating.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
That unnerving bawl, which reappears at the rousing finale of the Barcelona concert, reflects the control Ciani has over her instrument, a mastery she’s built over almost 50 years of practice.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Plus, the fluidity of the situation is completely unnerving.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
The most recent of these was just two years ago, when eastern and central swathes of the United States experienced the path of totality, the phenomenon that casts daytime into eerie midnight blackness for unnerving lengths of time.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
The White House is attempting to manage a large-scale military confrontation with an undefined exit strategy—a confrontation that is unnerving markets.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies -- unnerving the world economy.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energy supplies — unnerving the world economy.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, have given rise to increasing concerns of a global energy crisis and are unnerving the world economy.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
The feature debut from writer-director Graham Parkes is also one of three films at the fest to feature comedy star Kate Berlant, here in a double role as unnerving twin couples-therapy influencers.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
There’s something unnerving about the mundane thwack of the rhythms.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2026
Most pages exude that unnerving queasiness which results from seeing a worrying lack of paragraph breaks in the foreseeable near future.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnerving
Adjective
-
Angels fans who had regained some faith in Yusei Kikuchi after last weekend’s encouraging start could only watch with frustration as all of that was wiped away in one disturbing inning.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Most disturbing about the Game 3 blowout was not the who, but the how.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Dawood said she's gone through paralyzing panic attacks and intense therapy.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
According to some experts, this paralyzing fear and desperation are factors that scammers exploit to put their criminal schemes into action.—
Albinson Linares,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Charter closes by discouraging the creation of new categories of IP law or extending patent and copyright terms.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Analysts said investors were focusing on potentially discouraging numbers underneath the surface, including decelerating growth in trends for its software business.—
Stan Choe,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even after filling several roster holes in the NFL Draft, the Dolphins exited the weekend with a glaring need at safety and an uneasy situation on the edge, at wide receiver and at tight end.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Forced into an uneasy alliance with a sharp-witted poacher living on the margins of society (Kellyman), the two women fight back, turning their powerlessness into strength through violence, wit, and defiance.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Still, things are unsettling here.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But the intention is to create a new generation of horror films that draw from the unsettling power, psychological intensity, and cinematic ambition that made J-horror a defining force in global genre filmmaking.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Directed by Lee Sang-min, the film stars Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won as a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The air in the room changed immediately, terrifying little Liza.—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unnerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnerving. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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