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.
Lieu questioned Bondi why no investigation had been launched into the former Prince Andrew, even after disturbing photos of him with a victim surfaced in the latest batch of the Epstein files.
From Salon
“Does the question disturb you?” he continued in a series of staccato questions.
Others are disturbed by their videos being viewed by anybody but them.
When police investigated, officers found "deeply disturbing material" on his devices.
From BBC
But a closer look at the data reveals something disturbing within the Chinese economy.
From MarketWatch
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.
