disturbance

[ dih-stur-buhns ]

noun

1. the act of disturbing. disturbing.
2. the state of being disturbed. disturbed.

   Synonyms: confusion, perturbation

3. an instance of this; commotion.

   Antonyms: order

4. something that disturbs.
5. an outbreak of disorder; a breach of public peace:

   Political disturbances shook the city.

   Synonyms: riot, tumult, confusion

6. Meteorology. any cyclonic storm or low-pressure area, usually a small one.
7. Geology. a crustal movement of moderate intensity, somewhat restricted in area.

disturbance

/ dɪˈstɜːbəns /

noun

1. the act of disturbing or the state of being disturbed
2. an interruption or intrusion
3. an unruly outburst or tumult
4. law an interference with another's rights
5. geology
   1. a minor movement of the earth causing a small earthquake
   2. a minor mountain-building event
6. meteorol a small depression
7. psychiatry a mental or emotional disorder

Other Words From

• nondis·turbance noun
• predis·turbance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of disturbance¹

1250–1300; Middle English disto ( u ) rbance < Anglo-French, Old French. See disturb, -ance

Synonym Study

See agitation. See disorder.

Example Sentences

The FBI received an alert from the Transportation Security Administration at 9:26 a.m. about a disturbance aboard a roughly five-hour United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Dulles Airport in Virginia.

From Los Angeles Times

Segments of the crowd could be heard booing the disturbance, and Yorke returned to cheers shortly after to play the Radiohead song Karma Police.

From BBC

A video has emerged appearing to show MP Mike Amesbury shouting and swearing at a man who is lying on the pavement during an apparent disturbance in Cheshire.

From BBC

Another neighbor, who identified herself to OnScene only as Sherri, said the neighborhood had never had “any type of violence or anything like that, any disturbance.”

From Los Angeles Times

Two adults and three young teenagers were killed after a "disturbance with gunfire" at a home in Fall City, east of Seattle, Mike Mellis, a deputy at the King County Sheriff's Office, said at a news conference this week.

From BBC

Related Words

• brawl
• confusion
• disorder
• disruption
• eruption
• explosion
• fracas
• interruption
• riot
• shock
• storm
• tremor
• turmoil
• upheaval
• uprising
• violence