disruptive

adjective

dis·​rup·​tive dis-ˈrəp-tiv 

: disrupting or tending to disrupt some process, activity, condition, etc. : causing or tending to cause disruption

a disruptive weather pattern

It is hoped that, if the child learns that disruptive behavior brings no rewards, his tantrums will diminish and perhaps stop.

—Susan Sheehan

In recent years, airlines began to carry plastic handcuffs as a way to restrain disruptive passengers.

—Erik Holm

Other teammates marvel at how easily he morphs from a mild-mannered family man in the locker room into a disruptive force on the field.

—Jefri Chadiha

disruptively adverb

acting disruptively

disruptiveness noun

… the disruptiveness of climatic change will depend strongly on the rate of change.

—Roger Revelle

Examples of disruptive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the Farmers Citizens Movement is part of the coalition and the deal includes soothing language and concessions to farmers that have blocked cities with tractors during disruptive protests. —TIME, 16 May 2024

There were about 1,200 people at the Lake Eola Park protest, where officers used a chemical agent to disperse a disruptive bunch in the crowd. —Greg Wehner, Fox News, 12 May 2024

While largely peaceful, the campus protests over Israel’s bombardment of Gaza that has killed tens of thousands have been loud and disruptive and have at times taken on a sharpened edge. —Alex Lemonides, New York Times, 9 May 2024

Chop will be an explosive, disruptive pass rusher and run stopper in the NFL. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024

In certain cases, the positive outcomes from the pilot exceeded the results in Beyond Oil's existing public disclosure materials; furthermore, additional benefits have been identified in the frying process as a result of Beyond Oil's disruptive product. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 May 2024

Oliver points out that this practice has since been found disruptive to bats and has fallen out of favor. —Corey Buhay, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2024

Should academic institutions ignore their own policies against disruptive activity for the sake of speech, even if many Jewish students feel their very identity is under attack? —Jeremy W. Peters Jamie Kelter Davis, New York Times, 6 May 2024

Without significant changes, which do not have to be disruptive in either the operational or the innovation sense, telehealth’s rough run is only likely to continue. —Deepak Sirdeshmukh, STAT, 3 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

disruptive

adjective

dis·​rup·​tive dis-ˈrəp-tiv 

: characterized by psychologically disorganized behavior

a confused, incoherent, and disruptive patient in the manic phase