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Synonyms

disruptive

American  
[dis-ruhp-tiv] / dɪsˈrʌp tɪv /

adjective

  1. causing, tending to cause, or caused by disruption; disrupting.

    the disruptive effect of their rioting.

  2. Business.

    1. relating to or noting a new product, service, or idea that radically changes an industry or business strategy, especially by creating a new market and disrupting an existing one.

      disruptive innovations such as the cell phone and the two-year community college.

    2. relating to or noting a business executive or company that introduces or is receptive to such innovation.

      disruptive CEOs with imagination and vision.
disruptive British  
/ dɪsˈrʌptɪv /

adjective

  1. involving, causing, or tending to cause disruption

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • disruptively adverb
  • disruptiveness noun
  • nondisruptive adjective

Etymology

Origin of disruptive

First recorded in 1835–45; disrupt + -ive

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.

The leagues will tell you that these changes are far less disruptive to younger viewers, who are much more adept at locating programming.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Cloudflare’s CEO called this “Google’s DeepSeek moment”— referring to China’s disruptive AI model.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

An amber wind warning has been issued for Saturday evening as Storm Dave is expected to bring "disruptive and potentially damaging winds" to parts of the UK.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Laurie Levenson, a Loyola Law School professor and former federal prosecutor, said local federal judges may believe it would be “more disruptive to try and put somebody in when the administration will just fire them.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Kira leaned slightly to the right, trying to see around them, trying not to let the Council of Guardians know that something disruptive was happening.

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry

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.