disturbed

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

Examples of disturbed in a Sentence

He seems very disturbed about his work lately.

Recent Examples on the Web

Logging can also leave behind more combustible species like cheatgrass, an opportunistic invasive that thrives in disturbed areas and is near-impossible to eradicate. —Elizabeth Miller, Outside Online, 12 Jan. 2025

Look for disturbed sleep patterns, excessive fatigue, anxiousness, or extreme procrastination. —David Ko, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025

Many are visibly disturbed, and potentially volcanic. —Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2024

The dogs indicated an area where the soil looked disturbed. —Yasmeen Saadi, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

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