Feeling deprived of courage, confidence, or composure; made anxious or fearful by something disturbing. The emotion involves a loss of one's usual nerve or boldness.
From 'un-' (reverse of) plus 'nerve' in the sense of courage or strength. 'Nerve' meaning courage comes from the idea that nerves carry strength throughout the body, so being 'unnerved' means having that strength removed.
Unnerved literally means 'stripped of your nerves' — losing the very pathways that carry courage through your body. This word captures how fear doesn't just add something negative, but actually removes our capacity for boldness and confidence, leaving us feeling hollow and vulnerable.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.