disrupt

verb

dis-ˈrəpt How to pronounce disrupt (audio)
Definition of disruptnext
1
as in to break
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly an earthquake that had disrupted the elevated highway in several places

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disturb
to undo the proper order or arrangement of the arrival of a baby in the household would totally disrupt their established routine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 disrupt The end of the leap second Adding a second to clocks every so often can disrupt high-precision computer systems. — Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 While some people say their sleep is disrupted, others find pets comforting. — Maggie Penman, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Jewish critics accused Mamdani of insulting victims and fueling antisemitism, while pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted a Manhattan vigil to denounce him for not doing enough to hold Israel accountable. — Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 The Houthis’ military spokesman later said the group had fired additional ballistic and cruise missiles at airports in Riyadh and the southwestern city of Najran, claiming the attacks disrupted flights. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disrupt
  1. break
  2. disturb
  3. fracture
  4. confuse
  5. destroy
  6. shuffle
  7. reduce
  8. disorganize
Verb
  • Riley was a direct inspiration on the record, and while the Bay Area composer did work with drones, his influence is more poignant here, in the way Schwendener breaks the melody down into pieces and moves them around.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • On a scramble of roughly 20 yards, Katz escaped the pocket, broke tackles and juked defenders in the open field to extend the drive.
    — D’Joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of break
Verb
  • If anything, the University of Toronto researchers discovered, we humans are the ones disturbing our dogs’ sleep.
    — Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The disembodied emcee voice for the performance only asks that flash not be used, and that any photography or videography not disturb surrounding attendees.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • That incident fractured the real-life Hansen’s image and precipitated the cancellation of the show, as well as a lawsuit that was eventually settled by NBC.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And then around ’98, when William made this decision that fractured the community forever, the well-meaning adults separated the genders.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of fracture
Verb
  • At last week's race in Azerbaijan, Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas crashed on the last lap and reportedly blamed it on the software becoming confused and affecting his braking.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Immigrant parents there wanted help writing to their kids’ teachers and making sense of confusing forms.
    — Steven Choi, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Noguchi, Nakashima, and Amino were adults on February 19, 1942, when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which forced Japanese American families to quickly abandon or destroy their property and board trains to the holding centers.
    — Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Refineries in Russia have been destroyed or damaged by drone attacks.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Ivey and his partner persuaded the Crockfords dealer to rotate the high-value cards 180 degrees before shuffling them back into the pack, citing some obscure superstition as justification.
    — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In the midst of the rush to finish my syllabi and opening week assignments, as my husband shuffled the kids into their sneakers and Crocs and the car for one last back-to-school outing, everything stopped.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • This allows Vestas to standardize its construction processes, lower costs, and reduce defects.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • This reduced atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and turned soil into the first terrestrial carbon sinks.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • Reese finished with 12 rebounds, but Thornton made her work for every touch near the basket, consistently positioning herself to contest without fouling and keeping Atlanta’s interior offense disorganized throughout the first three quarters.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
  • Atlanta doesn’t have a true point guard at the moment in its post-Trae Young incarnation, and the second units in particular could look disorganized.
    — The Athletic NBA Staff, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Definition of disorganize

Browse Nearby Words

disrobing
disrupt
disrupted
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Cite this Entry

“Disrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disrupt. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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