1
as in to disturb
to cause to go insane or as if insane
the endless harassment by the guards completely unhinged the prisoners of war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to distract
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
I was momentarily unhinged by the unexpected question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unhinge
That usually happens when an actor appears overly controlled or insufficiently guided—either sealed tight or unhinged.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, Madigan as the creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
The message is strong for a real world that is increasingly unhinged in so many ways.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
The game itself was unhinged, and ended after the Bobcats converted a fourth-and-10 for a touchdown in overtime on a pass from quarterback Justin Lamson to Taco Dowler (sweet name).
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhinge
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, Madigan as the creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
The message is strong for a real world that is increasingly unhinged in so many ways.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
The game itself was unhinged, and ended after the Bobcats converted a fourth-and-10 for a touchdown in overtime on a pass from quarterback Justin Lamson to Taco Dowler (sweet name).
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhinge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinge
Verb
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With their special technology, the cameras can take high-quality videos of animals at night without disturbing them.—
Charles Seabrook,
AJC.com,
7 Feb. 2026
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That the president remains fixated on this conspiracy theory, rather than tending to his job as the leader of the most powerful institution on the planet, should disturb anyone who wants America to remain a free and prosperous nation.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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They were seen by the clergy, for example, to be distracted by chocolate, drinking it and gossiping instead of paying attention to mass.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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State transportation officials argued that street art is distracting and can pose a risk to drivers.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While a complete withdrawal from the GNU may be unlikely, the resurgence of internal debate alone risks unsettling a government whose stability rests, in part, on the DA’s role as a moderating force.—
Sam Mkokeli,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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Homebuyers tend to be more sensitive than the law, which is still largely unsettled in regards to the topic.—
Franklin Schneider,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Andrew Musgrave crossed the finish line in cross-country skiing today in a tank top, and the cold didn’t seem to bother him one bit.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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My damp clothes didn’t bother either one of us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The political landscape is horrifying, distracting, deranged and unhinged.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
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It’d be deranged not to bring back Storrie and Williams as the leads—so of course their return has been confirmed.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Pentagon worries that an expanding Chinese arsenal could be a prelude to invading Taiwan or an attempt to beat America's missile defenses, Panda said.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
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Other recent departures underscore the tension between some researchers worried about safety and top executives eager to generate revenue.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Imagine the wartime use of leaflets that were dropped in large quantities over battlefields, or onto townships, and contained a single message that was intended to mentally unbalance large numbers of citizens or soldiers.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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One executive raised concerns about the program’s viability for health systems that span multiple states—and could see funds dispersed unevenly across their geographies, unbalancing regional programs.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But that's not really what alarms me, someone making money off of military advancements.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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Officials across the country received the invitation, which has alarmed some of its recipients, according to numerous media outlets.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinge. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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