1
as in breaks
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 disturbs
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
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Recent Examples of disrupts
However, Wisconsin gas prices are currently about 60 cents higher than the same time last year as the war with Iran disrupts the global oil supply.
—
Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 31 Mar. 2026
What to Skip Alcohol feels relaxing but disrupts deep sleep and melatonin production.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
China’s export engine could hit headwinds as the Iran war drive up energy costs and disrupts supply chains, with most maritime traffic blocked from passing the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Australian authorities have announced free public transport in two states as the Iran war disrupts global energy markets.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Experts confirm there is nothing in the bill that disrupts our legal system in any way.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
China appears to be restarting its purchases of US oil and gas as the Iran war disrupts shipments from the Middle East.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Brent crude has surged above $100 a barrel in recent weeks — after trading closer to $60 in January — as the Iran conflict disrupts flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil.
—Mike Winters, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
First, the war in Iran disrupts the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, raising the already high input prices for gas and fertilizer.
—Anthony Pahnke, Boston Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 31 Mar. 2026
What to Skip Alcohol feels relaxing but disrupts deep sleep and melatonin production.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
China’s export engine could hit headwinds as the Iran war drive up energy costs and disrupts supply chains, with most maritime traffic blocked from passing the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Australian authorities have announced free public transport in two states as the Iran war disrupts global energy markets.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Experts confirm there is nothing in the bill that disrupts our legal system in any way.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
China appears to be restarting its purchases of US oil and gas as the Iran war disrupts shipments from the Middle East.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Brent crude has surged above $100 a barrel in recent weeks — after trading closer to $60 in January — as the Iran conflict disrupts flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil.
—Mike Winters, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
First, the war in Iran disrupts the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, raising the already high input prices for gas and fertilizer.
—Anthony Pahnke, Boston Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disrupts
Verb
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Antonelli breaks a record set by Lewis Hamilton in 2007, when the 22-year-old led the world championship in his rookie season.—
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The first choice For every assistant coach looking to lead their own program, their first job often makes or breaks their careers.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Removing nodules from the ocean floor disturbs the silty seabed that's home to many organisms, like worms and small crustaceans, the scientists found.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
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Dethatching disturbs the soil surface, which can trigger dormant weed seeds to sprout.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The extreme heat kills the plant tissue immediately and typically destroys the roots of many weed species.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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Intrigued, the Duke secretly seduces Gilda, breaks her heart and destroys Rigoletto’s life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Learn about Outside Online's affiliate link policy Go somewhere that confuses your algorithm.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
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An actress in 1962 Cuban, as its missiles crisis rages, confuses her role in a film and real life.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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South America fractures into a puzzle of fjords and channels at the southernmost tip of the continent, the Brunswick Peninsula, in Chile’s Magallanes Region, where the future park will protect temperate rainforests, shrublands, and vast carbon-capturing peat bogs.—
Mark Johanson,
Outside,
14 Mar. 2026
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When ambitious young athlete Jamal (SwagBoyQ) enters her life and confronts the dangerous world around her, everything fractures.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
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That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lower-temperature graphite production The second pathway, discovered by NLR and NCSU, reduces the temperature required to produce the mineral.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
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By revitalizing dormant follicles and promoting the transition from the telogen phase back to anagen, minoxidil reduces the overall quantity of hair lost.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The café disintegrates, white-peach mimosas lost forever.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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If the American state disintegrates, future postmortems are unlikely to focus much on measles, or on rotavirus vaccination rates.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disrupts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disrupts. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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