1
as in to break
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
an earthquake that had disrupted the elevated highway in several places
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disturb
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
the arrival of a baby in the household would totally disrupt their established routine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disrupt
This condition is primarily caused by genetic defects that severely disrupt or halt the complex process of sperm production, known as spermatogenesis.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
My success — scholarships, businesses, properties — disrupts both narratives.
—Sofía Pereda, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
But the Education Department is among those being hard hit, disrupting special education, after-school programs and others.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Pairing incompatible flavors disrupts the harmony of the charcuterie creation.
—Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disrupt
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
My success — scholarships, businesses, properties — disrupts both narratives.
—Sofía Pereda, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
But the Education Department is among those being hard hit, disrupting special education, after-school programs and others.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Pairing incompatible flavors disrupts the harmony of the charcuterie creation.
—Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disrupt
Verb
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That’s a figure that breaks the previous record for most units in a week by more than a half-million.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
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Fields got the ball out to Wilson, but behind him, and Talanoa Hufanga broke it up.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Then, use your scrubbing brush to wipe down the tank walls, taking care not to disturb the internal parts like the fill valve and flush valve.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
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Low-energy hits only disturbed the surface, while stronger impacts caused cracks and deformation that exposed more material for reaction.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Swift may well be more important today than Adele was a decade ago—but the comparison is apples to oranges because the cultural mainstream has fractured so dramatically since then.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
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Togo midfielder Samuel Asamoah has undergone surgery after fracturing his neck during a game, his club Guangxi Pingguo have said.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But this cake isn't an exact replica of their earlier chocolate cake, leaving some guests confused about what this cake is.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
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Some companies kind of got confused [about] what their true role is and how they’re supposed to be delivering value, and that’s getting a bit corrected now.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The fear of further Israeli strikes, particularly on Iran, remains acute in the public’s mind as much of Iranian air defenses likely were destroyed by Israel in June.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
12 Oct. 2025
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The Wild were absolutely destroyed in the faceoff circle, losing 44 of 71 (38 percent success rate).—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Sharks also shuffled their defense pairs for Monday’s practice, with Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro forming the top line, Nick Leddy with Timothy Liljegren, and Sam Dickinson paired with John Klingberg.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
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Couples, girlfriends, and wellness aficionados were shuffling from pool to plunge, catching up, sitting close, and enjoying the experience together.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Now, many employers are looking to harness the power of AI—initially for mundane and repetitive tasks and eventually for more complicated jobs—to reduce the need to maintain the same level of human staffers on their payrolls.—
Jason Del Rey,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
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And drivers can reduce the risk of their cars being hit.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Psychologists recognize four main styles of attachment: secure, avoidant, anxious, and disorganized.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
25 Sep. 2025
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On Friday morning, the system was still disorganized.—
Alex Harris
Updated September 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disrupt. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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