1
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
all that talk of war disturbed us
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of disturb
Set boundaries around late-night texts, explaining your do-not-disturb hours kindly when needed.
—
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Shaina was fascinated by Greek mythology but disturbed by the concept of other Gods.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
When asbestos is disturbed, tiny particles are released into the air.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Everything in the two paragraphs above should disturb any honest broker.
—Scott Maxwell, Sun Sentinel, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturb
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
Shaina was fascinated by Greek mythology but disturbed by the concept of other Gods.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
When asbestos is disturbed, tiny particles are released into the air.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Everything in the two paragraphs above should disturb any honest broker.
—Scott Maxwell, Sun Sentinel, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturb
Verb
-
This was a club that embraced African players before much of Europe bothered to scout the continent seriously.—
Zohran Mamdani,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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In my dream world where Emmys voters bother to watch Bait, Khan is a shoo-in.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Escalante Sandoval then approached the parked van, removed a key concealed in the gas cap and backed it up, allowing a group of people to move three deep freezers from the van into the bed of the truck and load them with packages.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
-
Nothing has been touched since the artist’s death in 2009 except for dust removed by a neighbor and caretaker.—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Closure of the strait, at the southern end of the Red Sea and a critical gateway to the Suez Canal, could significantly disrupt global trade.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
-
The British Museum elected to postpone a Jewish Culture Month event that was scheduled to take place last Thursday, May 28th due to concerns that the talk—a lecture on Ancient Israel and Judah—might be disrupted by protests.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Considering its reputation and its placement on the World’s Best List, the clientele tends to be very international so those who don’t speak French need not worry.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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Many of his fellow Republicans might find his campaign, as outlined to a reporter Wednesday, to be worrying on closer examination.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Mitchell said families weighing private versus public schools aren’t driven by a single reason; their decisions tend to be personal and specific to each child’s needs.—
Chase Jordan
June 4,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
-
The world-record Wels, or European catfish, weighed 297 pounds and 9 ounces and was caught from Italy’s River Po in March 2010.—
Ken Perrotte,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The opening salvo of the assault is intended to distract the Russians and permit four other robots to get behind enemy lines.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Meanwhile, Johnson insisted to reporters in Chicago that his international excursion will not distract him from the pressing issues back home, including the final week of Springfield’s legislative session.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
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As a result of its complications, the team was forced to relocate its base camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
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Originally destined for slaughter during the Eid al-Adha festival, the 1,500-pound animal was seized by authorities, spared sacrifice and relocated to the capital’s zoo, where keepers lavish it with care.—
al Emrun Garjon,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Instead, the ideologues of Russian imperialism have turned to random musings and belligerent hate speech, which seems intended to confuse rather than convince.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
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Relocating a bird's nest is confusing for the parents, dangerous for the eggs, and, in most cases, against the law.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturb. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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