Synonyms

unnerving

American

[uhn-nur-ving] / ʌnˈnɜr vɪŋ /

adjective

depriving a person of courage, strength, determination, or confidence; disconcerting.

There's nothing easy about job hunting, but if asked to pinpoint the most unnerving part of the process, many would say it's interviewing.

Other Word Forms

unnervingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of unnerving

unnerv(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The violence in the Puerto Vallarta area is unnerving America’s community of expat retirees in Mexico, a destination popular with the growing number of people retiring abroad.

From The Wall Street Journal

The experience can be awkward or unnerving for many candidate.

From The Wall Street Journal

After Sunday's election victory, she possesses an unusual degree of latitude to accelerate military spending and overhaul Japans's defence, unnerving Beijing.

From Barron's

For assets that many investors treat as protection, the speed and scale of the wipeout in gold and silver on Friday was unnerving.

From MarketWatch

Ahead of a snap election in Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to scrap a tax on food, but a lack of clear funding is unnerving markets and voters.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023