disruptive

adjective

dis·​rup·​tive dis-ˈrəp-tiv 

: disrupting or tending to disrupt some process, activity, condition, etc. : causing or tending to cause disruption

a disruptive weather pattern

It is hoped that, if the child learns that disruptive behavior brings no rewards, his tantrums will diminish and perhaps stop.

—Susan Sheehan

In recent years, airlines began to carry plastic handcuffs as a way to restrain disruptive passengers.

—Erik Holm

Other teammates marvel at how easily he morphs from a mild-mannered family man in the locker room into a disruptive force on the field.

—Jefri Chadiha

disruptively adverb

acting disruptively

disruptiveness noun

… the disruptiveness of climatic change will depend strongly on the rate of change.

—Roger Revelle

Examples of disruptive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Coverage from the Sacramento Bee describes the practice as a normalized coping hobby for perimenopausal women who piece together regimens around their most disruptive symptoms, often documenting and refining them through peer-to-peer advice. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026

The same experience could be disruptive for one practitioner but manageable for another, depending on how it was interpreted and supported. — Ronald S. Green, The Conversation, 16 July 2026

Raindance, which has long championed emerging filmmakers and disruptive storytelling formats, provided the festival platform for the project. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 July 2026

Kratos provides unmatched innovation, disruptive capabilities, mission responsiveness and affordability to our customers across our portfolio of systems, according to a press release. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disruptive

• eruptive

Medical Definition

disruptive

adjective

dis·​rup·​tive dis-ˈrəp-tiv 

: characterized by psychologically disorganized behavior

a confused, incoherent, and disruptive patient in the manic phase