disturbance

noun

dis·​tur·​bance di-ˈstər-bən(t)s 

plural disturbances

1

: the act of disturbing someone or something : the state of being disturbed: such as

a

: an interruption of a state of peace, quiet, or calm

His choler rose in proportion to the surprise, and, perhaps, to the disturbance of his repose.

—Sir Walter Scott

… a caller reported loud music causing a disturbance …

—Saugus (Massachusetts) Advertiser

They were charged with disturbance of the peace.

b(1)

: an interference with or alteration in a planned, ordered, or usual procedure, state, or habit

He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life.

—Arthur Conan Doyle

Impacts inflicted by mining … include … disturbance of wildlife habitat …

—Todd Wilkinson

(2)

: a moving out of place

Bruce was particular about his things and would notice any slight disturbance to his stuff …

—Tegan Quin

These latter circumstances … may, I think, be accounted for, by the disturbance of the mud at the bottom of the sea …

—Charles Darwin

c

: a departure from a norm or standard : a deviation, disruption, or impairment in form, function, or activity

sleep disturbances

endocrine disturbances

Once identified as having an emotional disturbance with associated behavior problems, it's considered best practice for the child to get a behavior intervention plan …

—Patrick Skahil and David Desroches

Identifying coronavirus' economic effects combined with other major economic disturbances requires accurate data …

—Bruce Yandle

2

: noisy or violent activity : commotion

Police responding to complaints of a loud disturbance in a parking lot … found 15 to 20 teenagers gathered …

—R. Robin McDonald

3

: a local variation from the average or normal wind conditions

Synonyms

• ado
• alarums and excursions
• ballyhoo
• blather
• bluster
• bobbery
• bother
• bustle
• clatter
• clutter [chiefly dialect]
• coil
• commotion
• corroboree [Australian]
• do [chiefly dialect]
• foofaraw
• fun
• furor
• furore
• fuss
• helter-skelter
• hoo-ha
• hoo-hah
• hoopla
• hubble-bubble
• hubbub
• hullabaloo
• hurly
• hurly-burly
• hurricane
• hurry
• hurry-scurry
• hurry-skurry
• kerfuffle [chiefly British]
• moil
• pandemonium
• pother
• row
• ruckus
• ruction
• rumpus
• shindy
• splore [Scottish]
• squall
• stew
• stir
• storm
• to-do
• tumult
• turmoil
• uproar
• welter
• whirl
• williwaw
• zoo

Examples of disturbance in a Sentence

She doesn't want any more disturbances while she is studying.

He reacts badly to disturbance of his daily routine.

Fish are able to detect even slight disturbances in the water.

Disturbance of the river's sediment causes cloudy water.

Neighbors called the police to report a disturbance.

They were arrested for creating a disturbance.

The violence that soldiers experience in war can lead to emotional disturbance in later years.

Recent Examples on the Web

Police responded to the report of a disturbance on Tuesday at 2:07 p.m. at Kennedy High School where officers and staff worked to separate those who were involved, according to Lt. Ryan Bessette of the Waterbury Police Department. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2025

Use medications that can help with nausea, headaches, or sleep disturbances, such as pain relievers, antinausea drugs, and sleeping aids. —Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2025

Targets often suffer from chronic anxiety, sleep disturbances, and PTSD-like symptoms. —Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

In addition to patterns of rain and drought, research shows that other factors can play a role in incidents of valley fever — including soil disturbance, such as the kind accompanying construction activity, wild fires and even archaeological digs. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

disturbance

noun

dis·​turb·​ance

dis-ˈtər-bən(t)s

1

: the act of disturbing

2

: mental confusion : upset

3

: public commotion : disorder

Medical Definition

disturbance

noun

dis·​tur·​bance dis-ˈtər-bən(t)s 

: a deviation, disruption, or impairment in form, function, or activity

visual disturbances

disturbances of metabolism

Emotional disturbance is one of the 13 disabilities schools use to identify students who may receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, the federal special education law.

—Howard Weiss-Tisman, Brattleboro (Vermont) Reformer

Legal Definition

disturbance

noun

dis·​tur·​bance

: an interruption of peace or order

specifically : an interruption of the quiet enjoyment of one's property