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
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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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First, washing the resulting powder with water removes soluble lithium salts created during the thermal reaction, recovering more than 60% of the total lithium.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Oct. 2025
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The Republican president’s directive removes one of the pressure points that could have forced Congress into action, likely ensuring that the shutdown — now in its 11th day and counting — extends into a third week and possibly beyond.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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My success — scholarships, businesses, properties — disrupts both narratives.—
Sofía Pereda,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
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Pairing incompatible flavors disrupts the harmony of the charcuterie creation.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Their numbers, however, have been shrinking as affordability weighs heavily on them, influencing milestone decisions like moving out of the family households.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
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The base Arctos Sport Standard prices in at $20,000 and weighs 1,102 lb (500 kg).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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The film follows Liz, a former therapist and soon-to-be empty nester, who relocates to a new town for her husband’s job.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
14 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 16 Oct. 2025.
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