perturb

verb

pər-ˈtərb How to pronounce perturb (audio)
Definition of perturbnext
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

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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 Hernandez contends in his lawsuit that he was pushed out of his job of nearly a decade in August 2022 because Platt had become increasingly perturbed when Hernandez would challenge the statistics Platt would cite in public statements about city accomplishments. —Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2025 India from the Netherlands didn’t seem too perturbed. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2025 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth perplexed and perturbed allies on his first visit to NATO by seemingly taking some of Ukraine's bargaining chips off the table before those talks began. —Zachary Basu, Axios, 15 Feb. 2025 The observations also confirmed 2024 PT5 had all the characteristics expected of a rocky surface, including the extent to which its orbit is perturbed by solar radiation. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perturb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturb
  1. disturb
  2. distract
  3. bother
  4. alarm
  5. worry
  6. unsettle
  7. concern
  8. agitate
Verb
  • This involved manually disturbing the leg and then releasing it, capturing the resulting oscillations on high-speed video.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2025
  • What Is No-Till Gardening? Simply put, no-till is an approach to gardening that avoids disturbing soil in order to preserve its structure.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • While most of the acting is wonderful (Wyle is predictably great, but so is just about all of the main cast), some patient-of-the-week players err towards distracting histrionics.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The one who got distracted by the minstrel did not finish last.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of distract
Verb
  • Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about.
    — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in Sacramento, 120-106; the Mavs led by more than 20 points in the first half, and the Kings never bothered to muster much of a run to make this interesting.
    — Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of bother
Verb
  • Inspired by the urgent call from birth justice leaders and alarming CDC statistics showing Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women.
    — Melissa Noel, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Are we supposed to be alarmed that team is falling apart?
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of alarm
Verb
  • Critics worry that other anti-democratic actors will be taking cues from Bukele to curry favor with this particular president.
    — David Catanese, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Victims of car collisions may have more to worry about as insurance companies warn drivers to be aware of a growing scam involving tow truck companies.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Loomer’s Role in Firings: The firing of national security officials on the advice of Laura Loomer, a far-right agitator and conspiracy theorist, unsettled even some veteran Trump officials.
    — Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • An ailing husband doesn’t unsettle the established dynamic of who manages the home — as women are typically pre-socialized to be the caregivers.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of unsettle
Verb
  • The incident report was issued Monday at 3:57 p.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Monday at 4:01 p.m.
    — Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The season went from concerning to disastrous under Van Nistelrooy.
    — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of concern
Verb
  • Place lasagna noodles in a 9- x 13- inch baking dish; cover with hot or boiling water to submerge and set aside to soak until noodles are pliable, about 30 minutes, agitating noodles occasionally to prevent them from sticking together.
    — Nicole Hopper, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2025
  • For instance, trust will be eroded when a person demonstrates a lack of temperance, which manifests as being agitated, impatient, inattentive, rash, and anxious instead of being composed, patient, prudent, self-controlled, and calm.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of agitate

Browse Nearby Words

pertness
perturb
perturbable
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Cite this Entry

“Perturb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturb. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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