Synonyms

perturb

American

[per-turb] / pərˈtɜrb /

verb (used with object)

to disturb or disquiet greatly in mind; agitate.

I can see how such a massive change in your routine would perturb you.

Synonyms:

worry, trouble

Antonyms:

pacify
to throw into great disorder.

Huge construction projects can take years to finish, and meanwhile, can greatly perturb the neighborhood.

Synonyms:

muddle, disarrange, confuse
Astronomy. to cause perturbation in the orbit of (a celestial body).

perturb British

/ pəˈtɜːb /

verb

to disturb the composure of; trouble
to throw into disorder
physics astronomy to cause (a planet, electron, etc) to undergo a perturbation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

nonperturbable adjective
nonperturbing adjective
perturbability noun
perturbable adjective
perturbably adverb
perturbatious adjective
perturbator noun
perturber noun
perturbing adjective
perturbingly adverb
perturbment noun
unperturbable adjective
unperturbing adjective

Etymology

Origin of perturb

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English perturben (from Old French perturber ), from Latin perturbāre “to throw into confusion,” from per- per- + turbāre “to agitate, confuse” ( turbid )

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023