disturbance

noun

dis·​tur·​bance di-ˈstər-bən(t)s 

plural disturbances

1

: the act of disturbing someone or something : the state of being disturbed: such as

a

: an interruption of a state of peace, quiet, or calm

His choler rose in proportion to the surprise, and, perhaps, to the disturbance of his repose.

—Sir Walter Scott

… a caller reported loud music causing a disturbance …

—Saugus (Massachusetts) Advertiser

They were charged with disturbance of the peace.

b(1)

: an interference with or alteration in a planned, ordered, or usual procedure, state, or habit

He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life.

—Arthur Conan Doyle

Impacts inflicted by mining … include … disturbance of wildlife habitat …

—Todd Wilkinson

(2)

: a moving out of place

Bruce was particular about his things and would notice any slight disturbance to his stuff …

—Tegan Quin

These latter circumstances … may, I think, be accounted for, by the disturbance of the mud at the bottom of the sea …

—Charles Darwin

c

: a departure from a norm or standard : a deviation, disruption, or impairment in form, function, or activity

sleep disturbances

endocrine disturbances

Once identified as having an emotional disturbance with associated behavior problems, it's considered best practice for the child to get a behavior intervention plan …

—Patrick Skahil and David Desroches

Identifying coronavirus' economic effects combined with other major economic disturbances requires accurate data …

—Bruce Yandle

2

: noisy or violent activity : commotion

Police responding to complaints of a loud disturbance in a parking lot … found 15 to 20 teenagers gathered …

—R. Robin McDonald

3

: a local variation from the average or normal wind conditions

Synonyms

• ado
• alarums and excursions
• ballyhoo
• blather
• bluster
• bobbery
• bother
• bustle
• clatter
• clutter [chiefly dialect]
• coil
• commotion
• corroboree [Australian]
• do [chiefly dialect]
• foofaraw
• fun
• furor
• furore
• fuss
• helter-skelter
• hoo-ha
• hoo-hah
• hoopla
• hubble-bubble
• hubbub
• hullabaloo
• hurly
• hurly-burly
• hurricane
• hurry
• hurry-scurry
• hurry-skurry
• kerfuffle [chiefly British]
• moil
• pandemonium
• pother
• row
• ruckus
• ruction
• rumpus
• shindy
• splore [Scottish]
• squall
• stew
• stir
• storm
• to-do
• tumult
• turmoil
• uproar
• welter
• whirl
• williwaw
• zoo

Examples of disturbance in a Sentence

She doesn't want any more disturbances while she is studying.

He reacts badly to disturbance of his daily routine.

Fish are able to detect even slight disturbances in the water.

Disturbance of the river's sediment causes cloudy water.

Neighbors called the police to report a disturbance.

They were arrested for creating a disturbance.

The violence that soldiers experience in war can lead to emotional disturbance in later years.

Recent Examples on the Web

California Poppy: Nerve Control 911 contains 45mg of California poppy seed to relieve nerve pain, blood vessel problems, and sleep and mood disturbances. —Andrew Price, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

Researchers have found long-term usage may be connected with heart disease, vascular disease, reproductive disturbances and more, according to the National Cancer Institute. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024

Symptoms are said to vary in type and severity but often are reported to include the sudden onset of severe headaches, difficulty concentrating, auditory disturbances and memory loss. —Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2024

The night echoed violent episodes from the mayor’s first month in office in January 2022, when two police officers were killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in Harlem and a woman named Michelle Go was killed after being pushed onto the subway tracks at Times Square. —Dana Rubinstein, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024

Investigators did not elaborate on the family disturbance and could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY. —USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024

There’s a disturbance in the force, and George Lucas wants to help correct the problem. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024

The disturbance briefly halted the play and resulted in several of the cast members, including star Michael Imperioli, helping to usher them out of the theater. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024

The incident began around 7:25 p.m., when deputies got a 911 call about a family disturbance in the 300 block of Clintwood Avenue in La Puente, officials said. —Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing disturbance

• disturbance of the peace

Kids Definition

disturbance

noun

dis·​turb·​ance

dis-ˈtər-bən(t)s

1

: the act of disturbing

2

: mental confusion : upset

3

: public commotion : disorder

Medical Definition

disturbance

noun

dis·​tur·​bance dis-ˈtər-bən(t)s 

: a deviation, disruption, or impairment in form, function, or activity

visual disturbances

disturbances of metabolism

Emotional disturbance is one of the 13 disabilities schools use to identify students who may receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, the federal special education law.

—Howard Weiss-Tisman, Brattleboro (Vermont) Reformer

Legal Definition

disturbance

noun

dis·​tur·​bance

: an interruption of peace or order

specifically : an interruption of the quiet enjoyment of one's property