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Definition of disturb

disturb

/dɪˈstɜːrb/
dis · turb
Adverb:disturbingly
•
Adjective:disturbing
•
Past Simple:disturbed
•
Past Participle:disturbed
•
Present Participle:disturbing
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disturb Lexical Profile

disturb Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To interfere with the normal arrangement, functioning, or quiet of something; to interrupt someone's rest, concentration, or privacy.

Example

"Please do not disturb the students while they are taking their final exam."

2

To make someone feel anxious, uneasy, or emotionally unsettled.

Example

"The sudden drop in regional biodiversity deeply disturbed the conservation biologists."

3

To move, alter, or change the physical position or settled state of something.

Example

"Archaeologists were careful not to disturb the fragile artifacts buried in the sediment."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for disturb

• Nearby Words

distrustful
distrustfully
distrustfulness
disturb
disturbance
disturbed
disturber

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Old French destorber, from Latin disturbare ('to drive asunder, throw into disorder'), composed of dis- ('completely') and turbare ('to agitate'), from turba ('turmoil, crowd').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Disturb. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/disturb
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