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

When proteins are modified, the glow provides a visual signal, letting researchers monitor biological activity without breaking open cells or adding disruptive chemicals. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025

The disruptive force of AI will wreck multi trillion dollar industries, starting with auto. —Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025

Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can be enormously disruptive to a woman’s career. —Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Oct. 2025

Part of bringing the brand into its next chapter is simply harkening back to all of the things that made its market debut disruptive years ago, according to chief executive officer Jean-Guillaume Trottier. —James Manso, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025

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