adjective
C2
Proficient
unnerving
uhn-NUR-vihng
Unnerving (adjective) means causing someone to feel anxious or lose confidence. Example: “There was something unnerving about the way he stared without blinking.”
adjective
1
Causing someone to feel anxious or lose confidence.
"There was something unnerving about the way he stared without blinking."
"The empty house made an unnerving creaking sound every few minutes."
How to use unnerving
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that makes you feel uneasy or rattled just by being near it.
Common pairings
unnerving silence
find it unnerving
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like unnerving.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more unnerving
- Superlative
- most unnerving
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
There was something _____ about the way he stared without blinking.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for unnerving
See all rhymes for unnerving →Frequently asked questions
What does “unnerving” mean?
The word “unnerving” means causing someone to feel anxious or lose confidence. In plain terms, something that makes you feel uneasy or rattled just by being near it.
How do you pronounce “unnerving”?
“Unnerving” is pronounced uhn-NUR-vihng (/ˈʌnˈnɜːvɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “unnerving” in a sentence?
Here is “unnerving” used in a sentence: “There was something unnerving about the way he stared without blinking.”
What part of speech is “unnerving”?
“Unnerving” is an adjective.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include unnerving:
