disruption

noun

dis·​rup·​tion dis-ˈrəp-shən 

plural disruptions

: the act or process of disrupting something : a break or interruption in the normal course or continuation of some activity, process, etc.

disruption of sleep

disruptions in service

a process that has continued without disruption

Throughout the history of medicine, health has been seen as a condition of equilibrium and illness as the disruption of a balanced state.

—David Mechanic

By 1925 most countries had recovered from the economic disruptions caused by the Great War of 1914-18.

—John A. Garraty

Synonyms

• derangement
• dislocation
• disturbance
• upset

Examples of disruption in a Sentence

the flat tire resulted in an unfortunate disruption of the schedule for our road trip

Recent Examples on the Web

Indeed, by the closing months of 1999, the consensus in the IT sector and government was that Y2K would be a bump in the road, with disruptions no worse than a winter storm. —Zachary Loeb / Made By History, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024

And, as with all disruption, both opportunities and pitfalls are abundant on the road ahead. —Martin Gutmann, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Snow and rain will particularly affect routes across the Great Lakes and Midwest, and cities like Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit may see significant disruptions due to both weather and traffic congestion. fairness meter Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair. —Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

As insurers pull back from areas across the country exposed to climate change risks, where policies aren’t getting renewed is a key predictor of the disruption to come. —Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

disruption

noun

dis·​rup·​tion dis-ˈrəp-shən 

: the act or process of breaking apart or rupturing

bandaged her leg tightly to prevent disruption of the partly healed wound

disrupt

dis-ˈrəpt 

transitive verb