disturbance
Americannoun
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the act of disturbing.
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the state of being disturbed.
- Synonyms:
- confusion, perturbation
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an instance of this; commotion.
- Antonyms:
- order
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something that disturbs.
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an outbreak of disorder; a breach of public peace.
Political disturbances shook the city.
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Meteorology. any cyclonic storm or low-pressure area, usually a small one.
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Geology. a crustal movement of moderate intensity, somewhat restricted in area.
noun
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the act of disturbing or the state of being disturbed
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an interruption or intrusion
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an unruly outburst or tumult
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law an interference with another's rights
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geology
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a minor movement of the earth causing a small earthquake
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a minor mountain-building event
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meteorol a small depression
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psychiatry a mental or emotional disorder
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing disturbance
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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Nothing But the Truth
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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.
See Examples For:
The slowdown from the last quarter was likely because of disturbance to sentiments from international geopolitical issues, Citi analysts said in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
“During an arrival maneuver, an aircraft flew lower than standard profiles, resulting in a disturbance on the beach that affected civilian chairs and umbrellas,” a Navy spokesperson said in a statement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
The trigger was an atmospheric disturbance higher in the atmosphere - which essentially allowed all that stored energy to be released, resulting in the intense thunderstorms.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
The incident occurred June 14 when officers from the Santa Ana Police Department responded around 10:30 p.m. to a family disturbance in the 3400 block of South Main Street.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
Those molecules in turn disturb other nearby molecules out of their normal patterns of random motion, so that the disturbance itself becomes a thing that moves through the air — a sound wave.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of disturbances affecting old-growth forests, including drought and extreme wildfire.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
These trees "need natural disturbances such as fires," according to the government department Environment Canada, but suffer from repeated, intense fires that prevent them from regenerating.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
Electrolyte disturbances can trigger fatal heart rhythm problems.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Despite Saudi bans on political activity, there is always a risk of disturbances among throngs of worshipers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026
He is only eleven years old, and there have been some upsets and disturbances in his life, I must not forget that.
From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill
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.
