1
as in commotions
a state of noisy, confused activity
went to investigate the disturbance outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disruptions
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 harassments
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 disturbances
Folks who live close to data centers have reported headaches, vertigo, nausea, sleep disturbances, ear pain and hypertension, the institute website says.
—
Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 June 2026
The police deployed extra officers and resources as several disturbances broke out across the area and officers detained several people after the shooting, though others fled the scene, according to Walek.
—Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
The National Hurricane Center doesn’t expect any disturbances over the next seven days.
—Howard Cohen
june 1, Miami Herald, 1 June 2026
The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires to garbage and self-service bicycles in the streets.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
Those offenses could include public intoxication, disorderly conduct, fights and noise disturbances.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Duah points out that while estrogen and histamine are connected, histamine isn’t considered a primary driver of perimenopause—research points to neurotransmitter activity as the main culprit behind brain fog, sleep disturbances and hot flashes.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 May 2026
Over the years, city leaders and residents have raised concerns about large, unsupervised gatherings leading to violence and other disturbances during warmer months.
—Darius Johnson, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Jones emailed Westworth Village residents informing them of potential election disturbances.
—Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 May 2026
Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 June 2026
The police deployed extra officers and resources as several disturbances broke out across the area and officers detained several people after the shooting, though others fled the scene, according to Walek.
—Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
The National Hurricane Center doesn’t expect any disturbances over the next seven days.
—Howard Cohen
june 1, Miami Herald, 1 June 2026
The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires to garbage and self-service bicycles in the streets.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
Those offenses could include public intoxication, disorderly conduct, fights and noise disturbances.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Duah points out that while estrogen and histamine are connected, histamine isn’t considered a primary driver of perimenopause—research points to neurotransmitter activity as the main culprit behind brain fog, sleep disturbances and hot flashes.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 May 2026
Over the years, city leaders and residents have raised concerns about large, unsupervised gatherings leading to violence and other disturbances during warmer months.
—Darius Johnson, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Jones emailed Westworth Village residents informing them of potential election disturbances.
—Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbances
Noun
-
Over the past year, men’s ski jumping has been marred by Norway’s cheating scandal and more recent genital manipulation rumors, which has become one of the early commotions of the Milano-Cortina Games.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Police asked the public to avoid the area as there were expected to be traffic delays, road closures, and mass transit disruptions.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
Visibility on commercial shipping through the waterway is limited by ongoing GPS jamming and tracking disruptions.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The everyday realities of life under the occupation, including the hassles and harassments of bureaucratic delays and security checkpoints, can suddenly become matters of life and death.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
About two couples, connected and dependent on one another, raising their kids alongside each other, facing the same turmoils, the same existential questions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Mayer and Strong offer a broad pop-history lesson, in which the same tensions and turmoils churn on and on in their terrible cycle throughout the decades; the only thing that’s changed are the aesthetics.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Noun
-
Even within the walls of the apartment, there was the hum of the refrigerator, the soft ticking of a radio alarm clock and the clock in the VCR, the submarine tlack of the cassette reversing in the answering machine, and other little noises.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
-
Unpredictable hours, loud noises, finicky clients, wrenches, needles.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Refrigerated pie crust helps this pie come together with just a few stirs of the whisk.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
December to March is technically rainy season but storms typically happen once per day.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Rainfall totals in the Kansas City area The storms packed a powerful punch, producing frequent lighting and thunder, prompting a tornado warning for parts of Clay and Jackson counties, and drenching some parts of the metro.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbances. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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