1
as in bothers
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
all that talk of war disturbed us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in removes
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 disrupts
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 annoys
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
sorry to disturb you while you're working
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in weighs
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 disturbs
Dethatching disturbs the soil surface, which can trigger dormant weed seeds to sprout.
—
Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
The work that disturbs the most is of a translucent man.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Rather, the goal is to get a statistical sense of which possible futures are likely, which ones are rare, and how our fossil fuel habit disturbs that distribution.
—Quanta Magazine, 20 Feb. 2026
What really disturbs professionals is the FDA’s injection of inconsistency into its reviews of drug applications.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
By cross-pollinating different groups of thinkers, Seth disturbs the pattern-completion machinery of each mind, clearing the ground for alternative insights to land.
—Rachel Barr, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Though the time change allows for more daylight in the spring and summer evenings, many have argued the change disturbs the body's circadian rhythms and has significant health drawbacks.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026
For instance, the downward airflow from the drone propellers disturbs the dust, increasing contamination risks, and the team had to develop additional safety measures to mitigate them.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Another possibility is that there is a relic magnetic field that exists between galaxies which remains from the early universe and disturbs low-energy gamma-rays.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
The work that disturbs the most is of a translucent man.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Rather, the goal is to get a statistical sense of which possible futures are likely, which ones are rare, and how our fossil fuel habit disturbs that distribution.
—Quanta Magazine, 20 Feb. 2026
What really disturbs professionals is the FDA’s injection of inconsistency into its reviews of drug applications.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
By cross-pollinating different groups of thinkers, Seth disturbs the pattern-completion machinery of each mind, clearing the ground for alternative insights to land.
—Rachel Barr, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Though the time change allows for more daylight in the spring and summer evenings, many have argued the change disturbs the body's circadian rhythms and has significant health drawbacks.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026
For instance, the downward airflow from the drone propellers disturbs the dust, increasing contamination risks, and the team had to develop additional safety measures to mitigate them.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Another possibility is that there is a relic magnetic field that exists between galaxies which remains from the early universe and disturbs low-energy gamma-rays.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbs
Verb
-
That notion clearly bothers Schoen and the organization.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
-
One thing that bothers him, though, is the calls from GVA asking for cash to shore up financing on the underwater properties as loan rates skyrocketed and monthly debt servicing led to losses.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The model in this proposal removes these barriers to entry and provides for an inclusive and accessible pathway that leads to success.—
Tri Ta,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
-
While residents may still have concerns about industrial neighbors, a facility that does not affect their electricity bills removes a central grievance driving bipartisan efforts to stop building data centers.—
Eric Schmidt,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The back line compresses space, the midfield disrupts passing lanes and Ferree has commanded his box with composure beyond his years.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Alcohol disrupts a person’s motor skills, which can affect their control of their vehicle.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Think of something that annoys you, connect it to masculinity by adding bro, and proceed as though that bro were a category of person.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The result is a highly uncertain outlook as the market weighs growth versus inflation.—
Michael MacKenzie,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Smothers weighs the same as Brown, but runs with more authority between the tackles.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Investigators said one of the men distracts the victim while another watches the victim input their PIN on the keypad.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
But wrapping this lesson with an expensive animatronic and a pre-recorded show with a Hollywood insider distracts from that message.—
Robert Niles,
Oc Register,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One thing that won’t change as the business relocates is its emphasis on hospitality.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The historic Cunningham Piano Company building in the Germantown section of Philadelphia will soon close its doors before the nearly 135-year-old business relocates its functions to King of Prussia.—
Joe Holden,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If the concept confuses, check out their podcast.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2026
-
No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.—
Noosheen Hashemi,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbs. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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