as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
in her perturbation she kept calling her son, a freshman, to see if everything was all right at college
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 perturbation
The rise of quantum sensors, which can detect delicate perturbations in the environment at the atomic level, promises even greater sensitivity and accuracy.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 16 Dec. 2024
His team also discovered that pigeon’s feathers could filter out a lot of turbulence perturbations on their own.
—Ars Technica, 27 Nov. 2024
However, perturbations from the sun's gravity will ultimately break this temporary gravitational dance, sending 2024 PT5 back to its home in the Arjuna belt.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Relative genotoxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons inferred from free energy perturbation approaches.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for perturbation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perturbation
Noun
-
Volodymyr Zelensky spoke in a week when a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump raised fears in Kyiv that it was being frozen out of negotiations, with the White House also downplaying the prospects of Ukraine joining NATO.—
-
People often dream of taking that leap, but many are hampered by the fears of what might be.—
Noun
-
But investigators have since sought to quell those concerns.—
-
While frozen produce is typically considered a safer, long-lasting option, this recall raises concerns about contamination risks during packaging and transport.—
Noun
-
While some financial hiccups are normal in early adulthood, ongoing instability could signal deeper struggles with budgeting, impulsivity or even financial anxiety.—
-
Merz vowed to bring stronger leadership in Europe at a moment when Trump had sowed anxiety on the continent by scrambling traditional alliances and embracing Russia.—
Noun
-
What the public worries about is clarity from their politicians.—
-
Another major worry for those who’ve been able to live in their homes is all the trash.—
Noun
-
Despite scoring four goals in 11 first-half minutes, there was a sense of unease around St James’ Park in the second half before Newcastle United finally saw out victory against Nottingham Forest.—
-
Walmart, Akamai Other corporate reports have added to the sense of unease on Wall Street, including Walmart's most recent earnings report.—
Cite this Entry
“Perturbation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perturbation. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share