disturbance

noun

di-ˈstər-bən(t)s How to pronounce disturbance (audio)
Definition of disturbancenext
1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity went to investigate the disturbance outside

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disruption
an act or instance of the order of things being disturbed caused a disturbance in the carefully ordered proceedings

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another the assistant apologized for the disturbance and got straight to the point

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disturbance Thin lawns may result from poor seeding, shade, disease, pests, and soil disturbances from renovations, construction, aeration, or weed removal. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 31 Aug. 2026 On the night of the killing, Proctor and his partner, Jonathan Kawahara, were responding to calls about Glenn and his dog causing a disturbance in Venice Beach. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Jacobs was arrested May 26, three days after police were called to his home to investigate a disturbance. — Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026 The tropical disturbance influencing Sunday's forecast is expected to move west, dropping the probability of weather violating launch criteria to about 30% — offering a 70% chance of acceptable conditions. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbance
  1. commotion
  2. disruption
  3. harassment
  4. stir
  5. turmoil
  6. hurry
  7. noise
  8. fuss
Noun
  • The Canadian singer caused a commotion with her ensemble, showing off a head-to-toe Alaïa ensemble from the upcoming Archetypes spring 2027 collection.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • There was no illness or injury, Krauss said, but the dog seemed ready to step away from the crowds and commotion.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • Officials in Pattaya, where international tourist arrivals have dropped because of travel disruptions and soaring fuel prices stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, say the visit is expected to inject about $3 million into the local economy.
    — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Citing data from consultancy Energy Aspects, Reuters notes that due to war damage or export disruptions, approximately one-fifth of Middle Eastern refining capacity is currently offline.
    — , CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of disruption
Noun
  • Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu via Getty Images Two former Golden State Warriors employees have sued the NBA franchise, alleging gender, age and race-based discrimination, workplace harassment and retaliation tied to their terminations.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Thirteen days before Morissette’s lawsuit, Urinov filed her own claim against the singer in London’s King Bench Division, which handles cases of defamation, misuse of private information, data protection, and harassment by publication.
    — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of harassment
Noun
  • Needless to say, Brady caused a stir among the Huskers last week.
    — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Step 4 Give batter a good stir, scraping bottom of blender jar to reincorporate any flour that has settled.
    — Julia Sherman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • Syria’s leaders are now positioning the country to benefit from a resurgence of regional turmoil.
    — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Geopolitical turmoil, including war in the Middle East and US ​import tariffs, has brought urgency to an issue Icelanders have debated on and off for decades.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of turmoil
Noun
  • In hurry-and-scurry mode, Katalyst built a robotic spacecraft called LINK, which launched on July 3 to meet up with Swift and haul it to a higher orbit.
    — Leonard David, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • No matter your hurry, overloading your washing machine will produce a headache of a different sort (and might even cost you more money).
    — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurry
Noun
  • In a market dominated by retro basketball shoes and 2000s tech runners, this chunky and vibrant retro skate shoe cut through the noise.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • When groceries, boat payments, and payroll all flow through one account, the underwriter cannot tell revenue from noise, and the expense factor math turns ugly.
    — Karen Koehler, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of noise
Noun
  • Two players who wanted out had got their wish with minimal fuss, but the same could not be said of Guimaraes.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The time has finally come for Georgia inside linebacker Justin Williams to show what all that recruiting fuss was about.
    — Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of fuss

Browse Nearby Words

disturb
disturbance
disturbances
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Cite this Entry

“Disturbance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbance. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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