1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
went to investigate the disturbance outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disruption
an act or instance of the order of things being disturbed
caused a disturbance in the carefully ordered proceedings
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another
the assistant apologized for the disturbance and got straight to the point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disturbance
Idaho State Police confirmed that law enforcement responded to a report of a disturbance inside the building Friday afternoon.
—
Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 4 Apr. 2026
Statins did not cause memory loss, depression, sleep disturbance, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, headache, or peripheral neuropathy.
—Vikas Patel, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
Deter birds by creating visual disturbances and physical barriers.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Al Capone’s brother Frank was killed in a shootout with Chicago police who were hired by Cicero to quell election disturbances in the village.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 4 Apr. 2026
Statins did not cause memory loss, depression, sleep disturbance, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, headache, or peripheral neuropathy.
—Vikas Patel, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
Deter birds by creating visual disturbances and physical barriers.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Al Capone’s brother Frank was killed in a shootout with Chicago police who were hired by Cicero to quell election disturbances in the village.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbance
Noun
-
Team parents were staying at our hotel where there was a commotion in the lobby.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Crystal Police Department said between 75 and 150 children caused the commotion at Becker Park earlier this week.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The vote marks the first time administrators have joined a strike alongside other LAUSD unions and aligns all three major labor groups in a coordinated potential walkout, raising the likelihood of widespread disruptions in the nation’s second-largest school district.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich wrote that Spotify was the bank’s top pick in the media and entertainment space, and called fears of AI disruption around the name overdone.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The college agreed to faculty training on Title IX and a revision of college policies to clarify that refusal to use a person’s preferred name and pronoun could constitute harassment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Their organizing was met with harassment and threats, Lee said.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Simply gather all the ingredients, pile everything into your slow cooker, stir, and set.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The public-private project has caused a stir in Charlestown.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Those crises required two large IMF deals supported by tens of billions of dollars in Gulf aid and investments, reflecting a long-standing view among Gulf capitals that stability in the most populous Arab country is key to preventing wider turmoil.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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Kara Ng, senior economist at Zillow Home Loans, said the mortgage-rate shock, fueled by bond market turmoil linked to the war in Iran, could stall the spring housing market if the conflict drags on.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One is beautiful and famous the world over; the other is even more beautiful yet content not to have to put up with all the fuss and attention.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the first phase of curbside construction isn’t expected to cause much fuss for drivers.—
Megan Rodriguez,
San Antonio Express-News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
August 23 – September 22 Clarity lands where chatter once created noise.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
-
His photographs of New York redirect our attention by taking the noise out of the city.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But that could get much worse in a hurry if prices rise sharply.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
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However, these champions are not in a hurry to achieve this remarkable feat.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbance. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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