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
And while the starlet coral is making babies, those youngins are still struggling to grow due to the sheer frequency of disturbances, Jones said.
—
Benji Jones, Vox, 4 Feb. 2025
At the height of those disturbances, Trump invited Mark Milley to walk with him from the White House to St. John’s Church and pose with a Bible.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Three weeks later, an officer shot and killed an armed suspect at a hotel on West Stockton Boulevard following a disturbance call.
—William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 2 Feb. 2025
According to the preliminary investigation, officers responded about 10 p.m. to a 911 call reporting a domestic disturbance involving a weapon at a home in the 4300 block of Laurel Avenue in the Riss Lake neighborhood on Kansas City’s East Side, according to the highway patrol’s statement.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Benji Jones, Vox, 4 Feb. 2025
At the height of those disturbances, Trump invited Mark Milley to walk with him from the White House to St. John’s Church and pose with a Bible.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Three weeks later, an officer shot and killed an armed suspect at a hotel on West Stockton Boulevard following a disturbance call.
—William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 2 Feb. 2025
According to the preliminary investigation, officers responded about 10 p.m. to a 911 call reporting a domestic disturbance involving a weapon at a home in the 4300 block of Laurel Avenue in the Riss Lake neighborhood on Kansas City’s East Side, according to the highway patrol’s statement.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disturbance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbance
Noun
-
In the security footage, which amassed over 1.2 million views, one cat ran up the stairs frightened after hearing a commotion coming in the closet under the stairs.—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Individual pregame warmups wrap up and a certain member of the Charlotte Hornets exits the court heading toward the tunnel, causing a commotion among throngs of onlookers hoping for a keepsake signature or snapshot.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Having virtual care options at the ready can help ensure care continuity during disruptions, according to Andy Puterbaugh, president of hospitals and health systems at Teladoc Health.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
22 Feb. 2025
-
With a career defined by navigating industry disruption in the creative fields, Scott understands the stakes better than most.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Believe us, Ashlee Simpson’s lip-sync disaster caused quite a stir at the time.—
Shannon Carlin,
TIME,
15 Feb. 2025
-
The second report, released in December by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, caused a stir in the research and temperance communities.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The changes upended precedent and rattled a media company that has already been shaken by years of turmoil and leadership turnover.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Downsizing, rehiring The confusion echoed the broader turmoil surrounding Trump's return to power.—
Dan Levine,
USA TODAY,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
That’s not a criticism but, rather, an acknowledgment of something elemental about his technique, which is to deliver performances that are simple and true with no fuss.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
18 Feb. 2025
-
This easy chicken sheet-pan supper brings bold flavors with minimal fuss.—
Natasha Frost,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Trying to implement changes in a hurry can have disastrous results.—
Stephanie Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
14 Feb. 2025
-
As Musk says, EVs (and hybrids) are coming on strong across the globe, and if the president takes serious action against them, U.S. automakers will become uncompetitive in a hurry.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Critical Thinking In a world awash with data, the ability to discern signals from noise is invaluable.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Image As for other noise, sports-watching venues across Canada were raucous.—
Vjosa Isai,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disturbance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbance. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share