disruptor

American  

[dis-ruhpt-er] / dɪsˈrʌpt ər /

noun

1. a product, company, or person that disrupts an industry or market, upsetting the established order; an agent of change or confusion.

2. a substance that disrupts a physiological process or agent.

3. a person who disrupts a process, group, or event, such as by making noise or physically interfering.

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Example Sentences

There would have been no disappearance of the disruptor.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

Whether or not the hype is to be believed, solid-state technology is coming—and it’s a potential disruptor for the entire EV industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Until recently, he was seen as a disruptor who upended the industry’s long-standing business models, especially its reliance on the big screen.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

El Salvador’s bitcoin experiment has drawn skepticism from the IMF and global lenders, but President Nayib Bukele has used it to burnish his reputation as a visionary disruptor.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 2, 2025

He checked the disruptor one last time, then moved back to the side passage he'd chosen.

From Hostage A Terran Empire story by Wilson, Ann