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
Regardless, there’s a clear symbolism to Clark empathizing and embracing a bloated externalization of his own inchoate fury until someone with an outside perspective disturbs his peace, and that fury breaks loose and devours him.
—
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
That brings us to the part of the ShotSpotter discussion that perhaps disturbs us most.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Put some kind of barrier around the nest so no one accidentally disturbs them.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
The idea that there can be any kind of misalignment between them, though, disturbs her.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.
—Maria Braganini, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
There are lots of things weightlessness disturbs, even in the short run.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The Leo moon disturbs unconscious patterns that are ready to be interrupted.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Removing nodules from the ocean floor disturbs the silty seabed that's home to many organisms, like worms and small crustaceans, the scientists found.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
That brings us to the part of the ShotSpotter discussion that perhaps disturbs us most.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Put some kind of barrier around the nest so no one accidentally disturbs them.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
The idea that there can be any kind of misalignment between them, though, disturbs her.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.
—Maria Braganini, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
There are lots of things weightlessness disturbs, even in the short run.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The Leo moon disturbs unconscious patterns that are ready to be interrupted.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Removing nodules from the ocean floor disturbs the silty seabed that's home to many organisms, like worms and small crustaceans, the scientists found.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbs
Verb
-
What bothers me still is the Maloofs or (current ownership) never honored Rick with a special night.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
-
Shields added at the time that she's learned to speak up when something bothers her rather than assuming her spouse can read her mind.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The plan removes hundreds of millions of emissions allowances but creates a new incentive pool and more free permits for industry, aiming to keep refineries and manufacturing from leaving the state.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
In general, electrification cuts energy costs, removes the volatility of fuel prices, and builds more resilient operations.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
El Niño, however, is associated with higher vertical wind shear in the Atlantic, which disrupts this process.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
-
The more established the team’s reputation, the less anyone wants to be the one who disrupts it.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
Seeing this much effort put into ripping off people annoys him.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
That ball of twine stands at least 11 feet tall, weighs almost 29,000 pounds and has a circumference of at least 46 feet.—
Staff,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
With its brilliant white surface reflecting the searing Spanish sun, the cross that crowns the Tower of Jesus Christ (the other 17 towers are dedicated to the 12 apostles, four Evangelists and the Virgin Mary) is as tall as a five-story building and weighs around 100 tons.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Mother’s explosion distracts Blaine and frees Sam.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
-
In my view, platforming these young men and sensationalizing their behaviors, rather than recognizing those behaviors as signs of psychological distress, distracts from the urgent need to address these serious mental health concerns.—
Jordyn Tovey,
The Conversation,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
When her mother’s job (Longoria) relocates them to Majorca, Ry sees this as her chance for a coming-of-age story.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
The Paramount+ drama series follows a New York family that relocates to rural Montana after a family tragedy.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
21 May 2026
Verb
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The whole concept of toxic fandom confuses me because, outside of the anger and backwards thinking, because who cares about a movie franchise that much?—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
The herb’s fragrance confuses and deters pests from eating your peppers.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbs. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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