PERTURB Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'perturb' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perturb are agitate , discompose , disquiet , disturb , fluster , and upset . While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions. // perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

Q: In what contexts can 'agitate' take the place of 'perturb'?

Although the words agitate and perturb have much in common, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement. // in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

Q: When would 'discompose' be a good substitute for 'perturb'?

While the synonyms discompose and perturb are close in meaning, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress. // discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

Q: When is 'disquiet' a more appropriate choice than 'perturb'?

While in some cases nearly identical to perturb , disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind. // the disquieting news of factories closing

Q: When can 'disturb' be used instead of 'perturb'?

In some situations, the words disturb and perturb are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption. // the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Q: Where would 'fluster' be a reasonable alternative to 'perturb'?

The words fluster and perturb can be used in similar contexts, but fluster suggests bewildered agitation. // his declaration of love completely flustered her

Q: When might 'upset' be a better fit than 'perturb'?

The meanings of upset and perturb largely overlap; however, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief. // the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

perturb

verb

pər-ˈtərb

Definition of perturb next

as in to disturb

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the caller's strange remark perturbed me enough to keep me awake that night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb perturb contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perturb are agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, fluster, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

In what contexts can agitate take the place of perturb?

Although the words agitate and perturb have much in common, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

When would discompose be a good substitute for perturb?

While the synonyms discompose and perturb are close in meaning, discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When is disquiet a more appropriate choice than perturb?

While in some cases nearly identical to perturb, disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

When can disturb be used instead of perturb?

In some situations, the words disturb and perturb are roughly equivalent. However, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

Where would fluster be a reasonable alternative to perturb?

The words fluster and perturb can be used in similar contexts, but fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

When might upset be a better fit than perturb?

The meanings of upset and perturb largely overlap; however, upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of perturb For example, obesity induces chronic fat inflammation, which subsequently leads to systemic inflammation and perturbs the normal systemic metabolism. —

Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 Could strong winds perturb the layers? —

Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025 The algorithm next perturbs one of the qubits used to carry out those operations. —

IEEE Spectrum, 21 Oct. 2025 All of which is to say that the Knicks, who were quite perturbed by the tumult caused by this latest report, appear fully focused on making a legitimate title run with this group. —

Sam Amick, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perturb

Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturb

Verb

He was also disturbed by the 2016 murder of Labour parliamentarian Jo Cox by a far-right figure associated with neo-Nazi groups who had been radicalized online.

— Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026
But then Detective Nathanial Saint shows up carrying disturbing news and an even more unexpected jolt of creativity.

— Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026

Definition of disturb

Browse Nearby Words

pertness

perturb

perturbable

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Perturb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturb. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Copy Citation

Last Updated: 31 Jan 2026 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of perturb

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on perturb

More from Merriam-Webster

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

gargantuan

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Ten Kinds of Happiness

‘Fascism’: The Word’s Meaning and History

The Words of the Week - Jan. 30

17 Words for Dog Breeds

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

Popular

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

Ten Kinds of Happiness

‘Fascism’: The Word’s Meaning and History

Games & Quizzes