disturb
Americanverb (used with object)
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to interrupt the quiet, rest, peace, or order of; unsettle.
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to interfere with; interrupt; hinder.
Please do not disturb me when I'm working.
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to interfere with the arrangement, order, or harmony of; disarrange.
to disturb the papers on her desk.
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to perplex; trouble.
to be disturbed by strange behavior.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to intrude on; interrupt
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to destroy or interrupt the quietness or peace of
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to disarrange; muddle
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(often passive) to upset or agitate; trouble
I am disturbed at your bad news
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to inconvenience; put out
don't disturb yourself on my account
Other Word Forms
- disturber noun
- predisturb verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of disturb
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English distorben, distourben, disturben, from Anglo-French desturber, disto(u)rber, from Latin disturbāre “to demolish, upset,” from dis- dis- 1 + turbāre “to agitate, confuse” ( turbid )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In agreeing to hear the pair of cases, the justices did not disturb the lower court rulings that blocked the repeals for now.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
Two-time finalist Medvedev then asked umpire Aurelie Tourte for a video review to see whether Draper had been guilty of hindrance - making either an action or a noise to disturb an opponent.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
“Soaring oil prices are likely to disturb that calm, sending the yield higher,” he says.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026
Titan's slightly elongated orbit can disturb inner moons when their orbital periods become simple fractions of Titan's.
From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026
We didn’t want to disturb the few hummingbears who’d returned.
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
