disturbance

American  

[dih-stur-buhns] / dɪˈstɜr bəns /

noun

• disturbances
  plural

1. the act of disturbing.

2. the state of being disturbed.

   Synonyms:

   confusion, perturbation

3. an instance of this; commotion.

   Antonyms:

   order

4. something that disturbs.

5. an outbreak of disorder; a breach of public peace.

   Political disturbances shook the city.

   Synonyms:

   riot, tumult, confusion

6. Meteorology. any cyclonic storm or low-pressure area, usually a small one.

7. Geology. a crustal movement of moderate intensity, somewhat restricted in area.

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disturbance British  

/ dɪˈstɜːbəns /

noun

1. the act of disturbing or the state of being disturbed

2. an interruption or intrusion

3. an unruly outburst or tumult

4. law an interference with another's rights

5. geology

   1. a minor movement of the earth causing a small earthquake

   2. a minor mountain-building event

6. meteorol a small depression

7. psychiatry a mental or emotional disorder

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Synonym Usage

See agitation. See disorder.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondisturbance
  noun
• predisturbance
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• disturbances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of disturbance

1250–1300; Middle English disto ( u ) rbance < Anglo-French, Old French. See disturb, -ance

Explanation

A disturbance is a noisy commotion that causes a hubbub or interruption. It can also be a worried mental state. In hotels, people put up "Do not disturb" signs when they want to be left alone. That's a good clue to what a disturbance is: something, usually noisy or rowdy, that bothers people. An audience member yelling during a piano concert would be a disturbance. Disturbances can also be interruptions, like a disturbance in cable service when the cable goes out. Disturbances can also be mental: if you're worried or anxious, that's a type of internal disturbance.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

disturbance disturbances

While the climate disturbance promotes cyclones in the Pacific, it can stifle them in the North Atlantic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

The disturbance spreads outward, potentially traveling long distances before reaching the coast.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026

The campaign follows concerns over what the trust described as the "hidden cost" of disturbance.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

On the night of the killing, Proctor and his partner, Jonathan Kawahara, were responding to calls about Glenn and his dog causing a disturbance in Venice Beach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

Then came the inevitable, reflexive disturbance of muscles, like a dream of running.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

That process can take considerable time, and every additional cycle creates another opportunity for outside disturbances to interfere with the calculation.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

The vehicles would be used as evidence in a police investigation that has been opened, it said, adding that forces continued to operate in the area "to prevent further disturbances and restore order".

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026

There were later some minor disturbances which police suggested may be linked in part to the removal of the pallets.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Small disturbances at that boundary can then grow into waves or swirling vortices.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

In the atmospheric disturbances that followed Lord Asriel’s escape from his exile on Svalbard, she and her companions were blown far from the island and many miles out over the frozen sea.

From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• brawl
• confusion
• disorder
• disruption
• eruption
• explosion
• fracas
• interruption
• riot
• shock
• storm
• tremor
• turmoil
• upheaval
• uprising
• violence