1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
went to investigate the disturbance outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disruption
an act or instance of the order of things being disturbed
caused a disturbance in the carefully ordered proceedings
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another
the assistant apologized for the disturbance and got straight to the point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disturbance
What Happens Next Authorities cleared the aircraft and expected the flight to continue to Chicago later Sunday, while the FBI and airport police continued their review of the onboard disturbance, officials said.
—
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
An off-duty police officer is accused of fatally shooting another off-duty officer during a domestic disturbance late Friday, a North Carolina sheriff said Saturday.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval described the disturbances at The Banks and elsewhere as unacceptable behavior that could carry long-term consequences for a city trying to attract more visitors to restaurants, bars and events.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2026
While the plot of the feature take is being kept under wraps, the source material takes place in a world where a tenth of the population suddenly gains telepathic powers as a result of electromagnetic disturbance.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
An off-duty police officer is accused of fatally shooting another off-duty officer during a domestic disturbance late Friday, a North Carolina sheriff said Saturday.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval described the disturbances at The Banks and elsewhere as unacceptable behavior that could carry long-term consequences for a city trying to attract more visitors to restaurants, bars and events.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2026
While the plot of the feature take is being kept under wraps, the source material takes place in a world where a tenth of the population suddenly gains telepathic powers as a result of electromagnetic disturbance.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbance
Noun
-
Despite the initial commotion, Julie’s case went cold.—
Annalise Peterson,
NBC news,
21 Mar. 2026
-
During the commotion, Gamel Kheir, the mosque’s secretary, pleaded for calm.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The price of ammonia and urea, two fertilizer ingredients seeing disruptions, are up around 20% and 50% percent, respectively, since the start of the Iran war, according to Oxford Economics.—
Lana Zak,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The project will pause from June 8 through July 19 to avoid disruptions during the FIFA World Cup, then resume July 20 and is expected to finish by July 31.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
According to Sethi, a 2024 survey showed that 7 out of 10 New Yorkers have experienced some form of street harassment.—
Allen Devlin,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Aside from the monetary penalty, the settlement requires Justin and Wonderful to halt any harassment or retaliation, undergo compliance audits and take other measures at the vineyard operations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Add sugar and stir until sugar has completely dissolved.—
C.W. Cameron,
AJC.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Punch took the world by storm after images of him dragging the orange plushy behind him circulated on social media, causing such a stir that the zoo has since made special rules to accommodate the influx of visitors.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Chinese companies aren’t retreating from the Arabian Gulf despite turmoil in the region, according to one of the world’s top management consultants.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest actress Hüller, currently on screens opposite Ryan Gosling in box office hit Project Hail Mary, plays a mysterious soldier who appears in a secluded Protestant village amidst the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One is beautiful and famous the world over; the other is even more beautiful yet content not to have to put up with all the fuss and attention.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the first phase of curbside construction isn’t expected to cause much fuss for drivers.—
Megan Rodriguez,
San Antonio Express-News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tens of thousands of people are flocking to Bayfront Park for the Ultra Music Festival, an annual electronic music event that has once again brought both excitement and concerns over noise and safety to downtown Miami.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Prior work has explored ultrasound sensing mainly on ground robots, but applying it to aerial robots has been difficult due to propeller noise and weak signals.—
Nitin Sanket,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Just don't be in a hurry to get there.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Don’t be in a hurry, as this grace period will keep your home from being filled with toxic fumes from the new installation.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disturbance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbance. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
