disturbed

[ dih-sturbd ]

adjective

1. marked by symptoms of mental illness:

   a disturbed personality.

2. agitated or distressed; disrupted:

   disturbed seas; a disturbed situation.

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. Usually the disturbed. persons who exhibit symptoms of neurosis or psychosis.

disturbed

/ dɪˈstɜːbd /

adjective

1. psychiatry emotionally upset, troubled, or maladjusted

Other Words From

• un·dis·turbed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of disturbed¹

First recorded in 1585–95; disturb + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The former president defeated Vice President Kamala Harris by harnessing the abiding dissatisfaction of many Americans — uneasy about the high cost of living, unsettled about a southern border they view as insecure and disturbed over an evolving culture they feel has strayed too far from traditional values.

From Los Angeles Times

But “the thing that deeply disturbed me about this system, there’s a reason why almost everyone in Congress looks the same, comes from the same background, is from the same socioeconomic status,” Hunt said.

From Slate

Howard-Elley said she is disturbed at how close she came to losing her ability to vote.

From Salon

Van Kerkhove and other pandemic experts said they were disturbed by the amount of detail the agency’s updates lack.

From Salon

The plans also insist music would be kept to a "low level" and that nobody would be disturbed.

From BBC

Related Words

• agitated
• troubled