plural disruptions
Synonyms of disruption
: the act or process of disrupting something : a break or interruption in the normal course or continuation of some activity, process, etc.
disruption of sleep
disruptions in service
a process that has continued without disruption
Throughout the history of medicine, health has been seen as a condition of equilibrium and illness as the disruption of a balanced state.David Mechanic
By 1925 most countries had recovered from the economic disruptions caused by the Great War of 1914-18.John A. Garraty

Examples of disruption in a Sentence

the flat tire resulted in an unfortunate disruption of the schedule for our road trip
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Petroleum processing industry turned a profit over the seven months as supply disruptions in the Middle East pushed up prices for lower-stream chemical products. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 O’Leary took Minter’s foundational aspects of defense to Western Michigan … ball disruption, tackling, effort and angles. Michael Beller, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 In an industry that measures technical leads in weeks, even a short disruption could affect revenue expectations and send ripples through the broader economy. Alex Heath, Time, 26 Aug. 2026 The market’s focus has shifted rapidly, with gold dominating early in the year before conflict and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz drew attention to oil. Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disruption

Word History

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disruption was in 1622

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disruption. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Medical Definition

disruption

noun
: the act or process of breaking apart or rupturing
bandaged her leg tightly to prevent disruption of the partly healed wound
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