disturbed

American  

[dih-sturbd] / dɪˈstɜrbd /

adjective

1. marked by symptoms of mental illness.

   a disturbed personality.

2. agitated or distressed; disrupted.

   disturbed seas; a disturbed situation.

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

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

disturbed British  

/ dɪˈstɜːbd /

adjective

1. psychiatry emotionally upset, troubled, or maladjusted

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Other Word Forms

• undisturbed adjective

Etymology

Origin of disturbed

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

Example Sentences

Some rattlesnakes may be disturbed by a person who is 20 feet away and rattle in the hopes of getting the person to leave the area.

From Los Angeles Times

I spent 17 years at the helm of the California Air Resources Board, and I am deeply disturbed by the potential co-opting of public input processes using forgery through automated tools.

From Los Angeles Times

He retired in 2023 and was disturbed to learn from former colleagues that the office was shutting down the open union probes.

From Salon

The weather rules include atmospheric electricity, types of cloud, specifically cumulus and disturbed weather like rain or strong winds.

From BBC

"If the main raw material is disturbed, the whole industry is disturbed," Dulera told AFP.

From Barron's

Related Words

• agitated
• troubled