MEANING
To deprive someone of steadiness or courage by making them feel apprehensive.
Use it for
disturbing uncertainty; calculated intimidationIdentify the detail that weakens a character’s composure.
Words that belong together
- unnerve an opponent
- deeply unnerved
- unnerved by silence
On the page
The guard’s silence unnerved him more than the threats.
A second set of footprints unnerved the search party.
She refused to be unnerved by the laughter from the gallery.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- unnerve / unnerves
- Past tense
- unnerved
- Past participle
- unnerved
- Present participle
- unnerving
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- unnerve / unnerves
- Present continuous
- am/is/are unnerving
- Present perfect
- have/has unnerved
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been unnerving
- Past
- unnerved
- Past continuous
- was/were unnerving
- Past perfect
- had unnerved
- Past perfect continuous
- had been unnerving
- Future
- will unnerve / unnerves
- Future continuous
- will be unnerving
- Future perfect
- will have unnerved
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been unnerving
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary category: fear. Targets composure and nerve; does not imply complete panic or a lasting disorder. Verb forms (base, third-person singular, past, past participle, -ing): unnerve, unnerves, unnerved, unnerved, unnerving.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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