1
as in bothers
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 removes
to change the place or position of
the items on her desk had been disturbed by someone
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3
as in disrupts
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
her careful filing system is sure to be disturbed during the move
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4
as in worries
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
sorry to disturb you while you're working
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5
as in weighs
to cause discomfort to or trouble for
please do not disturb yourself—I'll get my own drink
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disturbs
Currently comprising more than 8,300 active satellites, the Starlink constellation also disturbs radio telescope observations.
—
Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The water is perfectly clear — until someone brushes the side of the cave or disturbs the soft bottom, sending fine silt particles billowing into the beam of a headlamp.
—Jennifer Walker, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The water is perfectly clear — until someone brushes the side of the cave or disturbs the soft bottom, sending fine silt particles billowing into the beam of a headlamp.
—Jennifer Walker, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbs
Verb
-
Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?—
Time,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
-
What bothers her most is how the refusal seemed to change her brother’s behavior.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Back in a hotel room on Fifth Avenue, Goldberg-Polin removes her jacket and sits down on a couch to speak with a reporter.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The new law removes the certificate of need requirement for facilities with four or fewer beds, a major obstacle that previously hindered their creation.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On play one, Moore reads the tight end throwback pass and disrupts the catch (or else the tight end might still be running).—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
But when a mysterious and powerful agent disrupts the negotiations, Brahim discovers the shady side of the business.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The next-closest compact competitor is BMW’s M2, which retails for over $30,000 less but weighs quite a bit more, has its engine over the front axle, and relies more on electronics to hustle through winding roads.—
Peter Nelson,
Robb Report,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The calm, 5-year-old pup weighs about 150 pounds.—
Simone Jasper,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And when our American players have to control the crowd, that distracts them from playing.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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This might mean dropping a product line that’s profitable but distracts from your core business, or saying no to a good opportunity that isn’t aligned with your growth strategy.—
Minna Hu,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The revival relocates the story to Baltimore, and Joe is a Black fan of the Orioles, motivated in his quest by the racial discrimination that limited his father’s baseball career, according to the Times.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
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The team is hosting games at Sutter Health Park, home of the minor-league Sacramento River Cats, during a temporary stay set to last through at least 2027 while the franchise relocates from Oakland to Las Vegas.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Typically caused by a sensitive immune system — which confuses innocuous bacteria for harmful pathogens — symptoms include fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss, anemia, skin changes, arthritis and more.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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The disinformation pushed by these types of influencers confuses audiences, leaves them less informed, and erodes trust in actual journalism.—
Taylor Lorenz,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Rather, what troubles him are the claims that the song’s success has been manufactured.—
Melinda Newman,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
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But the financial angle troubles her further.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disturbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbs. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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