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
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of disrupt
The noise disrupts a dog's sensitive hearing, and their instinctive reaction is often to bark, hide, or flee.
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Sleep Disturbances Fluid retention and high blood pressure caused by a high-sodium meal can disrupt sleep in different ways.
—James Myhre & Dennis Sifris, Md, Verywell Health, 16 Dec. 2024
The Destroyers are the more controversial picks — wired to disrupt existing institutions, and acting on smoldering grievances against the organizations they've been picked to lead.
—Axios, 16 Dec. 2024
With the release of the PlayStation in 1994, Sony disrupted the arcade and gaming industry.
—John Towfighi, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disrupt 
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Sleep Disturbances Fluid retention and high blood pressure caused by a high-sodium meal can disrupt sleep in different ways.
—James Myhre & Dennis Sifris, Md, Verywell Health, 16 Dec. 2024
The Destroyers are the more controversial picks — wired to disrupt existing institutions, and acting on smoldering grievances against the organizations they've been picked to lead.
—Axios, 16 Dec. 2024
With the release of the PlayStation in 1994, Sony disrupted the arcade and gaming industry.
—John Towfighi, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disrupt
Verb
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Brian says Evan’s death broke Sam, who was in the med tent with a knee injury the night of the attack.Sara Netzley, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2024
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The task of fixing all that broke at Paramount under the Redstone family won’t be easy.Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Though the Dark Universe might be dead, Robert Eggers has crafted something like its spiritual successor with a series of disturbing horror features.Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 20 Dec. 2024
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The Iranian rial and the Israeli shekel have gone through periods of volatility that have disturbed both trade finance transactions and their pricing.Pushkar Mukewar, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But during the following years, the Women’s March fractured.Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
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These challenges and different political philosophies started fracturing the coalition.H.J. Mai, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But fans were confused as to why the flag was thrown.Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 25 Dec. 2024
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Biden mixes up French president with deceased predecessor Things got messier in February when Biden confused current French President Emmanuel Macron with former French President François Mitterrand — who died in 1996.Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Meanwhile, almost 20 American naval vessels and more than 300 airplanes were destroyed or damaged.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
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Shacks and buildings were left completely destroyed when the cyclone struck the nation hampered by poverty.Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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House Republicans on Thursday shuffled in and out of Speaker Mike Johnson's office as the clock ticked toward the shutdown deadline.Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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On the next spread, the characters are shuffled around, and you are asked to once again identify the row your character is in and follow the instructions to a specific page and figure.Megan Gambino, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Surgery can benefit from real-time AI explanations and XR visualizations to reduce patient anxiety, while oncology can simplify complex treatment plans for better decision making.Alon Zuckerman, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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Light pollution significantly reduces visibility of meteors.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Military commanders distanced themselves from Mr. Yoon, testifying that the martial law attempt was rushed and disorganized, and military veterans – many of whom had supported the president – turned out to condemn him.Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Dec. 2024
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These magnetic fields are tilted significantly, compared with their rotation axes, and are disorganized, with no dipole like the Earth.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Disrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disrupt. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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