disturb

verb

dis·turb | \ di-ˈstərb

disturbed; disturbing; disturbs

Definition of disturb

transitive verb

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

2a : 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

Other Words from disturb Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about disturb

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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

And what is happening is disturbing, to say the least. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Here's Why Britney Spears Fans Are Posting #FreeBritney All Over Social Media," 23 Apr. 2019 The stuff that disturbed me the most were the articles advising how to get a husband. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," 6 Dec. 2018 This could allow conservationists to count and monitor wildlife without disturbing it, but also throws up large amounts of data which requires handling. — Helena Pozniak, Popular Mechanics, "The Technology That Will Finally Stop Poachers," 26 Nov. 2018 At one point, Debby says being the target of staring, pointing, and disrespectful comments (while in character in the suit) from extras on set disturbed her. — Gavin Harwin, Teen Vogue, "Debby Ryan on "Insatiable," Mental Health, and the Pressure of Hollywood," 18 Aug. 2018 The mark stands as a world record, until someone is disturbed enough to try and break it. — Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, "The Ultrarunning Hall of Fame," 29 June 2018 Fans were equally impressed and disturbed by Stone's epic transformation. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "A Makeup Vlogger Transformed Himself Into Stormi Webster, and People Are Creeped Out," 18 Apr. 2019 The leader of one of the most powerful democracies in the world publicly admiring multiple brutal dictators, even if sometimes his comments seem to be made in jest, is disturbing. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Trump says he and Kim Jong Un “fell in love” over denuclearization letters," 30 Sep. 2018 Trump’s Muslim ban was disturbing, but did not directly impact their lives. — Suzy Hansen, The New Republic, "“What Difference Is Trump for Us?”," 24 Apr. 2018

These 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.