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 When the big day finally arrived, the happy couple weren't too perturbed by the bad weather and went ahead with the outdoor ceremony in Charlotte, Tennessee. Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025 But Fitzpatrick was particularly perturbed over the No. 0 decision. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025 There is now a 145% tariff on all goods imported from China, and the country has retaliated with its own 125% duty on goods from the U.S. Investors were also perturbed by President Donald Trump's blatant attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Julie Coleman, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025 Massachusetts Democrats appear especially perturbed by Trump, choosing to elbow themselves over who should be the leader of the resistance. Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perturb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturb
Verb
  • Create Do-Not-Disturb Prompts To Discourage Interruptions Experiment with reducing your availability to interruptions by following specific practices that signal to others you shouldn’t be disturbed.
    Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Perhaps your time off request isn’t approved, or your vacation plans have been disturbed by your colleagues.
    Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Growth must reinforce strategy, not distract from it.
    Ayo Adepoju, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • But when the pair get to a higher point in order to try to see where the Wolves are/where Tommy might be, Ellie is distracted by a nearby aquarium, which has a giant ferris wheel nearby.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • After years of ‘losing culture,’ can the new-look Chicago Bears turn things around on defense? Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard didn’t bother mincing words.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
  • Users do have to purchase such gadgets, learn how to utilize them, and put them on their body, however, which are all steps that many folks simply won't bother taking.
    Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, in an email, said that he was alarmed by the decision to cut the funding, adding that many Missourians in need of behavioral health care come to Kansas City.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
  • The warning follows a concerning rise in measles cases nationally, with a significant outbreak in Texas that has alarmed public health officials.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • These trends are causing 67% of the workforce to worry about the economy’s impact on their current jobs, according to the Workforce Pulse Survey from Remote.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • From the moment President Donald Trump took office, Flo has worried and contemplated her next steps.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • Since taking the helm in 2018, Powell has steered the Fed through a litany of challenges, such as an economic crisis sowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, a historic bout of high inflation, and now, an erratic global trade war that has unsettled decision-makers across the world.
    Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 26 May 2025
  • But also recognize that sometimes our most significant relationship growth comes through moments that initially unsettle us.
    Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Regulators and watchdogs have also long been concerned about donations from individuals with ties to foreign interests.
    Brian Slodysko, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
  • Overnight, officials were primarily concerned with high levels of volcanic gas such as water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide that can have far-reaching effects downwind.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • One group, led by Paul as well as Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Mike Lee of Utah, is agitating for deeper spending cuts, noting that the bill as written is projected to balloon federal deficits.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
  • The dryer balls will bounce around and agitate the filling in your duvet, allowing for more efficient drying and constant fluffing.
    Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perturb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturb. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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