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

If human disturbance makes it easier for new "invaders" to enter these relationships, even when those species are native, other mutualistic partnerships could also become destabilized.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Pasadena Police were called to a family disturbance in the 300 block of Mooresque Drive at 12:31 a.m. on Sept. 19, according to Lt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

Seagrass habitats store carbon, support biodiversity and help protect coastlines from erosion, but are declining globally due to pollution, development, disturbance and climate change.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

While the climate disturbance promotes cyclones in the Pacific, it can stifle them in the North Atlantic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

I do not dare try to move him; I have the feeling that the least disturbance, even a loud noise, might snap the thread.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

"If the species is facing issues on this particular landscape, there might be a chance that the ecological disturbances are affecting other birds too," said Lochan.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Those disturbances have been linked with worse recovery, depression, and reduced quality of life.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026

The same report notes that only 26 percent of respondents reported a consistent sleep schedule, and that disturbances to sleep have increased over time.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

Munro said headaches were a symptom of migraine attacks, but so too are "visual disturbances, nausea and vomiting, sometimes numbness and tingling, sometimes abdominal pain, sometimes dizziness".

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

That is why it is so easily disturbed, and why such disturbances don’t take long to become critical.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

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