perturb
Cause mental unease
Perturb means to disturb or unsettle, whether emotionally or physically.
A person can be perturbed by bad news or rude behavior: She was visibly perturbed by his accusations.
In scientific contexts, perturb describes disrupting a system's equilibrium—a passing star perturbs a comet's orbit, or a drug perturbs cellular processes.
Cause unease or anxiety
- disquietMental unrest or agitation
- unnerveDisturb someone's composure
- discomposeTo disturb calm
- flusterAgitated confusion
rattle · agitate · upset · ruffle · discomfit · destabilize · unhinge · throw
Break in upon
- interfereObstruct or meddle uninvited
- derailForce off course
- disorderAbsence of organization
- disarrangeTo disturb order
disorganize · upset · throw off · destabilize · unbalance · derange · dislocate · muddle
unsettle
Cause unease or anxiety
- disquietMental unrest or agitation
- unnerveDisturb someone's composure
- discomposeTo disturb calm
fluster · rattle · agitate · upset · ruffle · discomfit · destabilize · unhinge · throw · faze
irritate
Cause mild anger
aggravate · exasperate · provoke · nettle · peeve · gall · rankle · chafe · grate · needle
interrupt
Break in upon
disarrange · disorganize · upset · throw off · destabilize · unbalance · derange · dislocate · muddle · confound
deviate
Turn from course
- oscillateMove rhythmically between extremes
- fluctuateVary irregularly over time
- varyTo show differences
shift · alter · modify · deflect · displace · diverge · orbital · trajectory · equilibrium · stability
- agitateagitate, stir, rouse, rile up, annoy
- mind gamesmind game, head game, head games, mind games, intimidation
- disruptdisrupt, upset, disorder, disorganize, disarrange
- stunstun, daze, shock, stupefy, stagger