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
Most of North Texas will stay dry then a disturbance will move across the Red River.
—
Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 3 May 2026
Someone was reported to be causing a disturbance on North San Tomas Aquino Road.
—Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
At such depths, even minor disturbances can obscure visibility and damage artifacts that have remained intact for centuries.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
Electrical Disturbances Cause Auras Up to 30% of people with migraines experience an aura phase, a sensation characterized by visual or sensory disturbances such as flashing lights, tingling sensations, and difficulty speaking.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 3 May 2026
Someone was reported to be causing a disturbance on North San Tomas Aquino Road.
—Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
At such depths, even minor disturbances can obscure visibility and damage artifacts that have remained intact for centuries.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
Electrical Disturbances Cause Auras Up to 30% of people with migraines experience an aura phase, a sensation characterized by visual or sensory disturbances such as flashing lights, tingling sensations, and difficulty speaking.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbance
Noun
-
Linderbaum, a Pro Bowl selection in each of the past three seasons, signed a three-year, $81 million deal with the Raiders at the start of free agency, which added additional intrigue to the commotion surrounding Baltimore’s abandonment of the Crosby trade.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Could hear what sounded like gunshots or commotion.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Like many independent restaurants, Jon’s navigated a shifting culinary landscape in recent years, from pandemic disruptions to rising costs, all while making incremental changes to stay afloat, including adding beer and wine and participating in the Dana Point Harbor Certified Farmers Market.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
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And engineers have learned how to idle wells without lasting damage and restart them quickly, officials say, after years of sanctions and shutdowns pushed the country’s oil industry through cycles of disruption.—
Anthony Di Paola,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
An ally in public As the MeToo movement focused attention on women facing harassment in the workplace, Swalwell publicly positioned himself as a champion of women.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
-
Facing these smear-site claims, Baldoni in particular was still loathed to cop to any of the harassment or digital punking, sources tell me.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
It’s caused quite a stir among fans, who barely missed out on another free meal Tuesday in the Royals’ 5-3 win over the Guardians.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
-
Tonight’s Met Gala will bring together celebrities for a glamorous evening of fundraising and fashion, but this year’s billionaire sponsor is causing quite a stir.—
Toni Odejimi,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The turmoil has included the sudden resignation of then-Supt.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The Twin Cities’ response to a sweeping federal immigration crackdown that threw communities and local economies into turmoil offers a glimpse of what resilience and solidarity look like in practice.—
Melissa Jun Rowley,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the 1980s, many people didn't understand what the fuss was about, longtime broadcast journalist Joie Chen recalls.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
6 May 2026
-
Since then, thousands have flocked to theaters nationwide to see the award-winning performer and find out what all the fuss is about.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Unions have aggressively answered complaints about data centers in ways that executives at tech giants and the development firms rarely do, unafraid to bluntly confront concerns about energy and water shortages, rising electric and water bills, or noise and quality-of-life objections.—
Marc Levy,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
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The developer doesn’t expect the facility to create noise, odor or light pollution that would bother neighbors.—
Sofi Zeman
May 2,
Kansas City Star,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Arteta sprinted off to retrieve the ball like a man possessed, in a hurry.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
Topped with special sauce and pickle slices, these will be gone in a hurry.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbance. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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