1
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
all that talk of war disturbed us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to remove
to change the place or position of
the items on her desk had been disturbed by someone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
her careful filing system is sure to be disturbed during the move
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to worry
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
sorry to disturb you while you're working
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to weigh
to cause discomfort to or trouble for
please do not disturb yourself—I'll get my own drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disturb
Quakes can leave trees standing at irregular angles, uproot them entirely, and disturb their drainage patterns.
—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
18 June 2026
Her team otherwise relied on the district attorney’s evidence to establish that she was emotionally disturbed during the incident, and convinced a jury to convict her on a manslaughter charge reduced from murder.
—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2026
Nothing seemed out of place or disturbed.
—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
If a jury found Mangione, 28, was emotionally disturbed when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed, he could instead be found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder, reducing the time he's sentenced to prison.
—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturb
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
18 June 2026
Her team otherwise relied on the district attorney’s evidence to establish that she was emotionally disturbed during the incident, and convinced a jury to convict her on a manslaughter charge reduced from murder.
—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2026
Nothing seemed out of place or disturbed.
—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
If a jury found Mangione, 28, was emotionally disturbed when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed, he could instead be found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder, reducing the time he's sentenced to prison.
—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturb
Verb
-
While some of the wives wouldn’t bother coming to games every Sunday, Michel said, many of the children saw the Feeney fathers as proper heroes.
-
His pace routinely bothered Sweden, including on one impressive solo run in the first half that produced a quality attacking scenario.
Verb
-
Propellers can be particularly burdensome because rotors often need to be removed, cleaned and reinstalled, requiring some real elbow grease.
-
The pool is being cleaned twice annually, with 10 to 15 large truckloads of debris removed at each cleaning, the National Park Service reports.
Verb
-
The fires also disrupted travel across parts of Miami-Dade County.
-
Poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and health conditions like metabolic bone disease can disrupt bone remodeling, leading to weaker bones over time.
Verb
-
But prosecutors said their further investigation raised significant doubts about those conclusions, worrying them that a jury would not find Hobby guilty of an arson charge.
-
Some academic leaders worry that the report might drive students away from programs that encompass the core of human knowledge.
Verb
-
According to investigators, the boulder that landed on Frasch weighed at least 1,000 pounds.
-
For couples weighing whether to book one, the research and the market are pointing in the same direction.
Verb
-
Smart leaders audit what’s truly profitable, cut distracting growth channels and rebuild around operational clarity, not just revenue velocity.
-
If a robot starts patrolling your local garage, mall, park or transit hub, do not get distracted by the cool tech factor.
Verb
-
But the Charlotte Fire Department says overnight response times in the Ayrsley area are higher than usual because firefighters temporarily relocated to other stations.
-
Citing air quality concerns, the LAUSD has relocated students in the Boyle Heights area to different campuses through Wednesday.
Verb
-
So The Listeners — not to be confused with 2022’s The Listener starring Tessa Thompson and you in a voice role — is just now reaching the States.
-
Why The Market Misprices Good Companies Investors often confuse business quality with investment quality.
Cite this Entry
“Disturb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturb. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
