disturbed
Americanadjective
-
marked by symptoms of mental illness.
a disturbed personality.
-
agitated or distressed; disrupted.
disturbed seas; a disturbed situation.
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disturbed
Explanation
If something is disturbed, it's been moved or changed — it's not positioned or functioning the way it usually does. Traveling across the globe gives many people disturbed sleep patterns. If your younger brother has been snooping in your room, the only evidence might be the disturbed items on your desk — maybe he rifled through your diary and left it in a different spot. When people are described as disturbed, it means they're troubled emotionally. The word comes from the Latin disturbare, "throw into disorder," and its root turba, "turmoil."
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.
But analysts weren’t as disturbed by the results, remaining bullish enough on the stock that it made the screen.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
"Things like ceiling tiles were broken. There was dust and debris when things were disturbed, though at the time she didn't know what it was."
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
By changing the pulse intensity, the researchers could control how strongly they disturbed the charge density waves.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
Note: the Lynch compound and all other residential locations mentioned are all private residences, and not to be disturbed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
The house only has two small bedrooms upstairs, and Aunt Melissa is adamant that Lily’s sleep schedule will not be disturbed.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
