disturb

verb

dis·​turb di-ˈstərb 

disturbed; disturbing; disturbs

transitive verb

1

a

: to interfere with : interrupt

disturbing the flow of traffic

b

: to alter the position or arrangement of

the items on her desk had been disturbed

c

: to upset the natural and especially the ecological balance or relations of

wetlands disturbed by development

2

a

: to destroy the tranquility or composure of

The noisy lawnmower disturbed their sleep.

was disturbed by his bizarre behavior

b

: to throw into disorder

disturbing our routine

c

: alarm

trying not to disturb the sleeping dogs

d

: to put to inconvenience

sorry to disturb you at such a late hour

intransitive verb

: to cause disturbance

disturber noun

disturbingly

di-ˈstər-biŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of disturb

• bother
• distract
• worry
• alarm
• concern
• unsettle
• agitate
• annoy
• perturb
• upset

Choose the Right Synonym for disturb

discompose, disquiet, disturb, perturb, agitate, upset, fluster mean to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action.

discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

Examples of disturb in a Sentence

I'm sorry to disturb you at such a late hour.

She doesn't want to be disturbed while she's working.

Don't disturb the baby when he's sleeping.

The noise disturbed my concentration.

Recent Examples on the Web

Disrupting the possibility of cheerful solitude is both a stylistic and social shift, disturbing the film’s non-narrative serenity while depicting how dismantling the safety net displaces basic functions onto those least able to bear them. —Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026

Blackout curtains or a sleep mask, white noise or earplugs, a cool room around 65°F and a phone on do not disturb are baseline requirements for daytime sleep, not optional upgrades. —Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026

Advertisement In his research, Troup found a variety of disturbing behavior, starting with witness statements around Shirilla and Russo’s romantic relationship. —Jake King-Schreifels, Time, 15 May 2026

She has also been disturbed by the increase in what looks to her like a lack of trust in science, as seen in falling vaccination rates and rising instances of diseases like measles. —Deepti Hajela, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English disturben, destourben, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French destorber, from Latin disturbare, from dis- + turbare to throw into disorder, from turba disorder — more at turbid

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing disturb

• disturb the peace

Rhymes for disturb

• perturb
• reverb
• superb
• blurb
• curb
• erb
• herb
• kerb
• serb
• verb

Kids Definition

disturb

verb

dis·​turb dis-ˈtərb 

1

a

: to interfere with : interrupt

b

: to change the position, arrangement, or stability of

2

a

: to trouble the mind of : make uneasy

b

: to throw into confusion or disorder

c

: to cause bother to

disturber noun

Legal Definition

disturb

transitive verb

dis·​turb

1

: to destroy the tranquility or composure of

2

: to throw into disorder

intransitive verb

: to cause disturbance