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

Whether driven by a disruptive force such as Elon Musk’s teased Xmail or by Gmail and Microsoft crafting messaging/email alloys that better serves today’s immediacy remains to be seen. —Zak Doffman, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025

But even with such malfeasance – which remains in full force today – and also much deployment of capital that eventually floundered because of brutal competition or disruptive innovation, the savings of Americans has delivered a quantity and quality of output beyond the dreams of any colonist. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 22 Feb. 2025

Mansfield had 18 pressures up the middle last year for NC Central and was a disruptive force inside throughout his career. —Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025

How narcissism and exclusion fuel one another Narcissists often display disruptive behaviors in social settings, such as aggression or arrogance, that increase the likelihood of others distancing themselves over time. —Julianna Bragg, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disruptive

• eruptive

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