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

Extreme emotional disturbance would allow the jury to consider the less severe charge of manslaughter, rather than second-degree murder.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

"Drilling causes a lot of disturbance, and increased human activity would have an impact on wildlife."

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

Climate change and environmental disturbance have aided an increasing creep of the territories ticks inhabit—along with the viruses, bacteria, and pathogens they carry.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

That is the price paid to keep the disturbance negligible.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

Several of the neighbors had watchdogs, which barked at the slightest disturbance; surely, these animals would signal if the intruders returned.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Scientists have struggled to directly investigate how their electrons move collectively, interact with one another, and react to outside disturbances.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026

It was among the costliest civil disturbances in American history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

The phenomenon happens when fluids - in this case hot gases - slide past each other and cause small disturbances to grow into spiralling vortices.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 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

Evidence of disturbances in affect organization was seen.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

Related Words

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