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
Relevance
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
The time change, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, could make daylight saving time difficult for some, disrupting sleep patterns for over 300 million people.
—
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Kirk’s supporters, including a former staffer in the DeSantis administration, collected screenshots and tried to get people fired for disrupting their fake martyr narrative.
—Karen J. Leader, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
The war has disrupted international travel, and while flying to the Middle East right now is difficult due to airspace closures and the risk of airstrikes, supporters fear the women will be taken to a third country – perhaps China, Russia or Malaysia – before an onward journey to the Middle East.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Analysts Northam spoke with say the conflict is disrupting the typically efficient shipping industry, causing delays that stress ports and could harm the market.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disrupt
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Kirk’s supporters, including a former staffer in the DeSantis administration, collected screenshots and tried to get people fired for disrupting their fake martyr narrative.
—Karen J. Leader, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
The war has disrupted international travel, and while flying to the Middle East right now is difficult due to airspace closures and the risk of airstrikes, supporters fear the women will be taken to a third country – perhaps China, Russia or Malaysia – before an onward journey to the Middle East.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Analysts Northam spoke with say the conflict is disrupting the typically efficient shipping industry, causing delays that stress ports and could harm the market.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disrupt
Verb
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If oil prices stay very high for very long, households' budgets already stretched by high inflation could break under the pressure.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Comfort battles formality fighting to break free.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Others, like a night spent with an older villager, don’t add much and disturb the film’s lyrical rhythm.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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And with a noise level under 60 dB, the K1 is quiet enough for regular daytime operation without disturbing neighbors.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And yet Hezbollah’s choice to plunge the country into war has fractured the group, which is now facing backlash from its own supporters, and from the Lebanese government.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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And the fight over the SAVE America Act seems to be fracturing the GOP at the moment.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That has to be confusing to the hitter.—
Eno Sarris,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Two years later, promoters marketed confusing credits such as the Employee Retention Credit to businesses that did not qualify, collecting fees to file improper claims.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Weeks later, his father was killed in a fire that destroyed the home Hamlin purchased to thank his parents for getting him into NASCAR.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
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Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said its systems intercepted and destroyed 10 drones over the capital, Riyadh, and the kingdom’s eastern region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Samson Fellows shuffled in his slippers to a small space heater and flicked it on.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 Mar. 2026
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The Green Bay Packers are doing some shuffling at cornerback by adding Benjamin St-Juste while informing Nate Hobbs of a plan to release him a year after signing him to the $48 million, four-year contract, according to two people with knowledge of the decisions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The thinking, according to airport officials, is to encourage riders to use the yet-to-open Automated People Mover, also known as Skylink, and to reduce vehicle traffic around the terminals.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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From the guest's POV, drinking water is provided in reusable glass bottles, with water refilling stations across the property, and restaurant ingredients are sourced from the nearby partner South Farm and local suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint and support the community.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That these issues are now coming to light is indicative of a planning process that — in typical Dallas fashion — has been disorganized, rushed and lacking in transparency from its inception.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Case in point: The Knicks were disorganized offensively, to say the least, to start the first quarter but hung tough with their defense long enough for Jalen Brunson to erupt for one of his signature early outbursts.—
Kristian Winfield,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disrupt. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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