unhinge

verb

ˌən-ˈhinj How to pronounce unhinge (audio)
Definition of unhingenext
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

Relevance

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

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 unhinge And a loss of faith in Fed independence could unhinge inflation expectations among investors and consumers. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2026 In news that seems redundant but is meant to be relevant, Conrad’s doctor warns that his impulse control is weakening, which allows Brosnan to go from zero to unhinged at the drop of a newsboy cap. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 Before the Indiana State Fair comes to a close on Sunday, check out our Retro Indy story on how the fair food went from understated to unhinged over the years. — Evan Frank, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2026 Fuelled by unhinged online hate and anti-Israel extremism, total violent hate crimes skyrocketed by 97% since 2022, forcing terrified Jewish communities around the world into hiding. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhinge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhinge
  1. disturb
  2. distract
  3. unsettle
  4. bother
  5. derange
  6. worry
  7. unbalance
  8. alarm
Verb
  • An officer responded to PSA, and police said about two pallets of cards were stolen from the truck and a third was disturbed.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • On vehicles with a dedicated secondary passenger display, front passengers can browse, view lyrics, and watch video content without disturbing the driver.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • In each case, the visible problem can distract from the value underneath it.
    — Michael Ligon, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Democrat, who supports Jackson, thinks there’s wisdom in trying to avoid gaffes that distract from Collins.
    — Julia Terruso, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of distract
Verb
  • Short enough to read in a single sitting, Sara Gran’s chilling story of an architect succumbing to demonic possession will leave readers stunned and unsettled.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The recent layoffs have nevertheless unsettled Britain’s independent production community, which has already endured several difficult years of shrinking budgets and fewer commissions.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsettle
Verb
  • The mathematics and computer science graduate, who spent two years in the Peace Corps, launched Netflix by mailing DVDs in red envelopes to customers bothered by Blockbuster Video chain’s practices and late fees.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Some people, like me, are bothered by such images but can mostly ignore them.
    — Gabriela Galvin, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • From SheetsGate to purposefully washing Joy’s uniforms with rags, the laundry room has unleashed something deranged in Gen.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Featuring an ensemble populated by killer character actors like Jacki Weaver, Luis Guzmán, Kurtwood Smith, Timothy Spall, and Michael Chernus, Perpetual Grace, LTD is an off-kilter neo-noir that mines deranged humor from its eccentric characters.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of derange
Verb
  • And experts now worry about their potential to reach the Great Lakes.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • That worries Jonathan Jarry, a science communicator at McGill University’s Office for Science and Society in Montreal.
    — Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Denying the Wave a crucial 1-0 lead, no teammate could convert on a bright drive and dish by speedster Ludmila that unbalanced Seattle’s defense.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
  • The risk is that only a handful of clubs will be able to cough up those sums, unbalancing the market.
    — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 19 May 2026
Definition of unbalance
Verb
  • That move sparked enormous street protests in Israel, and alarmed many Israeli citizens overseas.
    — Daniel Brook, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The new company has nearly $80 billion in debt, with leverage of six-and-a-half times trailing earnings, a ratio that has alarmed investors and triggered credit rating downgrades.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarm

Browse Nearby Words

unhindered
unhinge
unhinged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unhinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinge. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All