disturbed

1 of 2

adjective

dis·​turbed di-ˈstərbd 

1

: experiencing or exhibiting emotional disturbance or agitation : having a mental disability or illness

… the San Francisco police department, for example, handles 18,000 calls involving emotionally disturbed citizens every year.

—Newsweek

2

a

: characterized or affected by interference, alteration, or disruption

restoration of disturbed habitats

disturbed sleep

b

: departing or deviating from a normal condition : marked by impairment

disturbed glucose metabolism

a disturbed gait

disturbed

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of disturb

Examples of disturbed in a Sentence

Adjective

He seems very disturbed about his work lately.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This toxic plant flourishes in disturbed areas and prefers moist soils. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 Sep. 2026

Moving peonies to a better location can improve their growth and blooming, but know that peonies don’t like it when their roots are disturbed. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026

The hurricane center is also watching another area of disturbed weather in the eastern Pacific in the same general vicinity as Norbert (see the red x and the red hatched area on the top map). — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

If animals aren’t disturbed, scouting for sign will indeed be a valuable effort. — Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for disturbed

• undisturbed
• unperturbed
• curbed
• perturbed

Kids Definition

disturbed

adjective

dis·​turbed

dis-ˈtərbd

: showing signs of mental or emotional illness

Medical Definition

disturbed

adjective

dis·​turbed dis-ˈtərbd 

1

: experiencing or exhibiting emotional disturbance or agitation : having a mental disability or illness

Emotionally disturbed students over a long period of time and to a marked degree exhibit such characteristics as a general pervasive mood of depression, a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems or an inability to learn.

—Rodney Tanaka, San Gabriel Valley (California) Tribune

2

a

: characterized or affected by alteration or disruption

disturbed sleep

b

: departing or deviating from a normal condition : marked by impairment

disturbed glucose metabolism

a disturbed gait