Word · CEFR C2 · Frequency #12111
unnerve
使紧张；使不安；使惊慌；使丧失信心
make someone feel nervous, upset, or less confident
- 1.
To deprive of nerve, force, or strength; to weaken; to enfeeble. Compare enervate.
使丧失勇气、力气或力量；使衰弱；使无力。
- 2.
To make somebody nervous, upset, alarm, shake the resolve of.
使紧张、不安、惊恐,动摇决心。
使衰弱；使无力；削弱；使丧失勇气、力气或力量；使衰弱；使无力。；使紧张、不安、惊恐,动摇决心。；使失去勇气；使胆怯
In use
The sudden loud noise unnerved the children during the exam.
Waiting for the interview results really unnerved me; I couldn't sit still.
Her calm stare unnerved him more than any angry words would have.
sth unnerves sb
主动结构，主语是令人不安的事物。
The constant noise unnerves me.
持续的噪音使我感到不安。
sb be unnerved by sth
被动结构，强调承受者。
She was unnerved by the sudden silence.
突然的寂静让她惊慌失措。
sb be unnerved to do sth
后接不定式，表示做某事时感到不安。
Connections
Collocations
- be unnerved by something
- 因某事而心神不宁
- He was unnerved by the long silence.长时间的沉默让他心神不宁。
- unnerve investors
- 让投资者感到不安
- The scandal unnerved investors.这起丑闻让投资者感到不安。
- unnerve opponents
- 让对手胆怯
- Her quiet confidence unnerved her opponents.她沉着自信，令对手胆怯。
- unnerving experience
- 令人不安的经历
- Flying in a storm can be an unnerving experience.在暴风雨中飞行可能是一次令人不安的经历。
- deeply unnerving
- 令人深感不安的
- The whole ordeal was deeply unnerving.整个磨难令人深感不安。
Synonyms
Learner notes
Memory Tip
拆成 un- + nerve（神经/勇气）：勇气像根神经被抽走，人顿时慌张、失去底气。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：formal writing、news reporting、literary works 通常多用于正式或书面语境，表示“使不安、使失去信心”；日常口语中较少直接使用，可用 make someone nervous 等说法替代。
Pronunciation & Spelling
以下单词都与 unnerve 的重读部分 /nɜːv/ 押韵：nerve、serve、swerve、curve、deserve、conserve。注意拼写相似的 nervous /ˈnɜːvəs/ 和 universe /ˈjuːnɪvɜːs/ 并不押韵。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.