disturb
verb
\
Definition of disturb
1a : 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
: to cause disturbance
Keep scrolling for more
Other words from disturb
\
adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for disturb
Synonyms
agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry
Antonyms
calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of disturb in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Today this all-too-cozy, white-guy camaraderie seemed to extend to disturbing new levels as NBC correspondent Geoff Bennett tweeted that sources said Trump and Kennedy had actually negotiated his selection of Kavanaugh over the last few months. — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, "Confirmed: The Supreme Court Is Just Another White Boys’ Club," 10 July 2018 Warning: This audio could disturb some listeners Louisville Courier Journal A translator was connected to the call, police said. — Darcy Costello, The Courier-Journal, "'Don't touch her': 911 call details lead up to fatal shooting by LMPD," 6 July 2018 The contaminated section is capped underground, which does limit development, as that cannot be disturbed. — Erik S. Hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Storage Master continues expansion with new facility at former Cudahy Tannery site," 2 July 2018 Privacy - Terms The outcry over child separation has revealed a disturbing bigger picture. — Alex Leary And Steve Bousquet, miamiherald, "Who's holding immigrants in Florida? Private vendors, feds and county sheriffs, too.," 29 June 2018 The incident is just one among several disturbing allegations centered around brutal policing tactics at Woodland Hills High School. — Anne Branigin, The Root, "High School Antwon Rose Attended Faces Brutal Allegations of Police Abuse: Report," 28 June 2018 Initially, some diners were disturbed with the man being removed. — Amber Jayanth, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Police Department releases body cam video after police called on homeless man in restaurant," 21 June 2018 While the German policies may be disturbing, Wienthal, also a correspondent for The Jerusalem Post, said he was not shocked by the UEJF report. — Eric Berger, Jewish Journal, "European Jews increasingly feel abandoned by government," 13 June 2018 Hardin County Sheriff John Ward tells news outlets that deputies and Elizabethtown police acting on a tip Saturday found freshly disturbed dirt behind a home, and digging yielded a man's body. — Crimesider Staff, CBS News, "Police tip leads to gruesome discovery behind Kentucky home," 11 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disturb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for disturb
disturb
verb
English Language Learners Definition of disturb
: to stop (someone) from working, sleeping, etc. : to interrupt or bother (someone or something)
: to worry or upset (someone)
: to change the position, arrangement, or order of (something)
See the full definition for disturb in the English Language Learners Dictionary
disturb
verb
\
Kids Definition of disturb
1 : to interfere with : interrupt Don't disturb him while he's working.
2 : to change the position or arrangement of
3 : upset entry 1 sense 1, worry I am very disturbed by your behavior.
4 : to make confused or disordered disturb the peace
disturb
transitive verbLegal Definition of disturb
1 : to destroy the tranquillity or composure of
2 : to throw into disorder
: to cause disturbance
: to cause a disturbance
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on disturb
What made you want to look up disturb? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Musical Words Quiz
-
- Which word describes a musical performance marked by the absence of instrumental accompaniment?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share disturb
Resources for disturb