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unnerved

To be unnerved is to lose courage or become uneasy. You might think you want to try bungee jumping, only to feel unnerved once you're standing on the edge of a bridge preparing to jump.

The word nerve can mean "strength, steadiness, and courage," as in "I planned to confront him, but then I lost my nerve." It makes sense, then, that being unnerved means a loss of that same steadfastness or bravery. So you might be unnerved on airplanes or when confronted with spiders, depending on what makes you feel a little less than brave.

Definitions of unnerved
  1. adjective
    deprived of courage and strength
    “the steeplejack, exhausted and unnerved, couldn't hold on to his dangerous perch much longer”
    synonyms:
    afraid
    filled with fear or apprehension
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