Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb perturb

4 senses of perturb

Sense 1
perturb, unhinge, disquiet, trouble, cark, distract, disorder -- (disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed; "She was rather perturbed by the news that her father was seriously ill")
       => disturb, upset, trouble -- (move deeply; "This book upset me"; "A troubling thought")

Sense 2
perturb -- (disturb or interfere with the usual path of an electron or atom; "The electrons were perturbed by the passing ion")
       => deviate -- (cause to turn away from a previous or expected course; "The river was deviated to prevent flooding")

Sense 3
perturb -- (cause a celestial body to deviate from a theoretically regular orbital motion, especially as a result of interposed or extraordinary gravitational pull; "The orbits of these stars were perturbed by the passings of a comet")
       => deviate -- (cause to turn away from a previous or expected course; "The river was deviated to prevent flooding")

Sense 4
perturb, derange, throw out of kilter -- (throw into great confusion or disorder; "Fundamental Islamicists threaten to perturb the social order in Algeria and Egypt")
       => disorder, disarray -- (bring disorder to)