disturbances

noun

plural of disturbance
1
as in commotions
a state of noisy, confused activity went to investigate the disturbance outside

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disruptions
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 harassments
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 disturbances To prevent future disturbances, the jail is shifting its operational approach. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 While no major storm is forecast, even moderate disturbances can enhance visibility under dark, clear skies. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 The auroral activity apparently caused some magnetic disturbances in the atmosphere, so that for three days we were almost blacked out on the radio. — Marc Terziev, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026 When galaxies heavy with dark matter cross those streams, astrophysicists can study the disturbances left behind to infer important properties like their speed and density. — Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 30 June 2026 The blunt notice follows a weekend of disturbances, fights and destructive behavior attributed to large groups of teens that gathered in downtown Greenville, officials said. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2026 Even tiny electromagnetic disturbances can disrupt the quantum states that perform calculations, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the system. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026 The Saharan Air Layer can suppress thunderstorm development and increase atmospheric stability across parts of the tropical Atlantic, temporarily reducing the odds that disturbances develop into tropical storms or hurricanes. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 29 June 2026 Immediately upon the signing of this MoU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. — Npr Staff, NPR, 18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disturbances
  1. commotions
  2. disruptions
  3. harassments
  4. turmoils
  5. noises
  6. stirs
  7. storms
Noun
  • Over the past year, men’s ski jumping has been marred by Norway’s cheating scandal and more recent genital manipulation rumors, which has become one of the early commotions of the Milano-Cortina Games.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of commotions
Noun
  • In Wednesday's hearing, DHS said that a law established this year helped create a team that would provide resources to patients who experience disruptions in care.
    — Conor Wight, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • Transportation planners spent months warning that downtown streets, MARTA stations and major highways could experience significant disruptions on match days.
    — Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of disruptions
Noun
  • The everyday realities of life under the occupation, including the hassles and harassments of bureaucratic delays and security checkpoints, can suddenly become matters of life and death.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026
Definition of harassments
Noun
  • About two couples, connected and dependent on one another, raising their kids alongside each other, facing the same turmoils, the same existential questions.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Mayer and Strong offer a broad pop-history lesson, in which the same tensions and turmoils churn on and on in their terrible cycle throughout the decades; the only thing that’s changed are the aesthetics.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Definition of turmoils
Noun
  • Karissa Waddick Some veterans who experience post-traumatic stress related to loud noises are finding relief this year.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Owners should desensitize pets to loud noises by playing firework sounds with positive reinforcement.
    — Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of noises
Noun
  • Refrigerated pie crust helps this pie come together with just a few stirs of the whisk.
    — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Definition of stirs
Noun
  • While rain coverage is expected to remain limited, any storms that develop could produce gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall.
    — Troy Bridges, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • While most areas will remain dry through the end of this week, there is a chance for weakening showers and storms over far northwestern Missouri each evening, the weather service said.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Definition of storms

Browse Nearby Words

disturbance
disturbances
disturbed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disturbances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbances. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on disturbances

Nglish: Translation of disturbances for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All