1
as in disturbing
to cause to go insane or as if insane
the endless harassment by the guards completely unhinged the prisoners of war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alarming
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 unhinging
Burmese pythons, which can engulf an entire Presidential golfing party simply by unhinging their (the pythons’) jaws, inhabit the environs of the Gulf of Mexico, and have even been seen swimming offshore.
—
Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinging
Verb
-
There's also an argument to be made that this is disturbing the wildlife at the national park, which is a valid concern.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Disrupting the possibility of cheerful solitude is both a stylistic and social shift, disturbing the film’s non-narrative serenity while depicting how dismantling the safety net displaces basic functions onto those least able to bear them.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The alerts were triggered by the severe thunderstorm moving through the area, alarming some residents who were unaware the city’s siren system now also goes off when a severe weather warning is issued by the National Weather Service.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For all their faults, looksmaxxers are intent on de-fetishizing this particular commodity, revealing beauty to be the product of strenuous (and often deranging) labor.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Gabriel going missing proves to be deranging to Caroline, and the novel becomes increasingly deranged with her.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
None of the distracting political overcast stopped Hernandez from winning all three events the athlete competed in the first-round meet.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
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In this case, Swift opted to let the strands of her bow hang well past her ponytail, giving the hair accessory a veil-like quality without distracting from the rest of her look.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Tell him that his approach to the trip is bothering you.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
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Try taking 10 to 15 minutes each day to write out what's bothering you.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Verb
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But as dubious therapies and unsettling postcolonial rituals blur the line between wellness and manipulation, Alexa begins uncovering the disturbing forces hidden beneath the retreat’s seductive façade.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2026
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Contemporary research complicates these findings, necessarily accounting for differences in dosage, metabolism, and preparation, and unsettling scientific conclusions divorced from how sassafras was utilized in real, traditional contexts.—
Kari Traylor,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For DiPentima, the bill’s swift progress though the legislature was concerning.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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Over the past ten-plus years, American students’ academic achievement has experienced a concerning decline.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Now, Hill avoids upsetting her audience by framing the disparate response to Clark as a gender issue.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
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Sometimes voices can be heard on the livestream camera, upsetting the eagle lovers watching online.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinging. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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