disturbance
gb/dɪstˈɚbəns/ us/dɪstˈɚbəns/
B1
English
~ 6100
zavarás, fennakadás, zavar, rendzavarás, rendbontás, érzelmi zavar, lelki zaklatottság, pszichés zavar, perturbáció, rendellenesség
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
cause a disturbance in [a place]
The building manager apologized for the disturbance caused by the late-night repairs.
Az épület kezelője elnézést kért a késő esti javítások miatti zavarásért.
There was a brief disturbance in the office when the fire alarm went off.
Rövid fennakadás volt az irodában, amikor megszólalt a tűzjelző.
Please keep the noise down; other guests have complained about the disturbance.
The dog’s barking caused a disturbance that woke the whole street.
They finished the work with minimal disturbance to the residents.
Learner examples
I am sorry for the disturbance during your meeting.
Elnézést kérek a megbeszélésük közbeni zavarásért.
The loud music made a disturbance in the hotel.
A hangos zene zavart okozott a szállodában.
We finished the repair without much disturbance.
There was a small disturbance in class when the lights went out.
The baby’s crying caused a disturbance in the night.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "disturbance" with "disturbing." "Disturbance" is a noun (There was a disturbance), while "disturbing" is an adjective (The noise was disturbing). They also sometimes use "disturb" instead of "disturbance" after articles: say "a disturbance," not "a disturb."
Meaning
interruption of peace or normal activity
Collocations
cause a disturbance
|create a disturbance
|minor disturbance
|noise disturbance
|disturbance in the classroom
|disturbance in the neighborhood
Synonyms
disruption (Very close in meaning; slightly more general and often used for plans, services, or systems being interrupted.)
|
interruption (Focuses more on a break in an activity, not always involving noise or trouble.)
Antonyms
peace (Refers to a calm and quiet state with no disturbance.)
|
calm (Describes a situation without noise, movement, or trouble.)
Themes
daily life
|law
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something that stops things from being quiet or normal, often with noise or movement.
An event or action that interrupts normal activity, peace, or order, often by noise or unwanted activity.
NOUN
B2
2
rendzavarás
B2
rendbontás
B2
Usage pattern:
a disturbance broke out in [a place]
Police were called to a disturbance outside the nightclub.
Rendzavarás miatt hívták ki a rendőrséget a szórakozóhely elé.
Several people were arrested after a disturbance broke out at the football match.
Több embert őrizetbe vettek, miután rendbontás tört ki a futballmérkőzésen.
The council is investigating the cause of last night’s disturbance in the town square.
Neighbors reported a loud disturbance at the apartment around midnight.
Officers responded to a domestic disturbance at the house on the corner.
Learner examples
The police came because there was a disturbance in the street.
Azért jött ki a rendőrség, mert rendzavarás volt az utcán.
A disturbance started at the concert, and people began to shout.
A koncerten rendbontás kezdődött, és az emberek kiabálni kezdtek.
The news reported a disturbance in the city center.
The man was arrested after a disturbance in the bar.
They called the police to stop the disturbance next door.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use just "fight" when the meaning is broader public trouble. In news reports, "disturbance" can include shouting, pushing, or chaos, not only a clear fight. Also, "disturbance" in this sense is countable: say "a disturbance," not "there was disturbance."
Meaning
public trouble or disorder
Collocations
public disturbance
|domestic disturbance
|a disturbance broke out
|police responded to a disturbance
|disturbance at the protest
|report of a disturbance
Synonyms
unrest (Often used for larger, more ongoing public disorder, especially political.)
|
riot (Stronger; suggests more serious, widespread violence than a disturbance.)
Antonyms
public order (Refers to a state where people behave peacefully in public spaces.)
|
law and order (Describes a situation where the law is respected and there is no public disorder.)
Themes
law
|politics
|society
|daily_life
Definition
Public trouble or fighting in a place, often so serious that the police come.
A situation of public trouble or disorder, often involving shouting, fighting, or minor violence, especially one that draws police attention.
NOUN
B2
FORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
emotional disturbance in [someone]
The child showed signs of emotional disturbance after the accident.
A baleset után a gyermeken érzelmi zavar jelei mutatkoztak.
Her nightmares were a symptom of a deeper psychological disturbance.
A rémálmai egy mélyebb pszichés zavar tünetei voltak.
The report noted behavioral disturbance in several of the patients.
He spoke softly, not wanting to cause any further disturbance to her fragile state of mind.
Years of stress had led to a serious mental disturbance.
Learner examples
The bad news caused him great disturbance inside.
A rossz hír nagy lelki zaklatottságot váltott ki belőle.
She has emotional disturbance after the crash.
A baleset után érzelmi zavarokkal küzd.
The doctor is worried about mental disturbance in the patient.
His strange actions show some kind of disturbance in his mind.
The war left many people with long-term emotional disturbance.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this formal word in casual contexts, where "stress," "worry," or "upset" are more natural. Also, in medical or psychological writing, "disturbance" usually appears with a modifier like "emotional," "mental," or "behavioral," not alone.
Meaning
emotional or mental upset
Collocations
emotional disturbance
|mental disturbance
|psychological disturbance
|signs of disturbance
|a deep sense of disturbance
|behavioral disturbance
Synonyms
distress (Common in everyday use; focuses on strong emotional pain or suffering.)
|
upset (More informal and general; describes feeling unhappy or worried, not necessarily a clinical problem.)
Antonyms
emotional stability (Describes a calm, balanced emotional state without disturbance.)
|
mental health (Refers to a healthy, undisturbed state of mind.)
Themes
emotions
|health
Definition
A strong feeling that your mind or emotions are not calm or healthy.
A state of emotional or mental upset, worry, or disorder, sometimes used as a formal or medical term.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
4
Usage pattern:
a disturbance in [a system or medium]
The storm was caused by a large atmospheric disturbance over the ocean.
A vihart az óceán fölött kialakult nagy kiterjedésű légköri zavar okozta.
Engineers detected a disturbance in the electrical signal.
A mérnökök zavart észleltek az elektromos jelben.
The study examined how human activity creates disturbance in forest ecosystems.
A slight disturbance in the data suggests an error in the sensor.
Astronomers observed a gravitational disturbance near the edge of the galaxy.
Learner examples
The satellite showed a big disturbance in the weather system.
A műholdfelvételeken nagy zavar látszott az időjárási rendszerben.
There was a disturbance in the signal, so the picture on the TV was not clear.
Zavar volt a jelben, ezért a tévékép nem volt tiszta.
Human actions can cause disturbance in natural areas.
The machine stopped after a small disturbance in the power line.
Scientists measured the disturbance in the water after the rock fell in.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this is a technical use and try to use it in everyday speech where simpler words like "change" or "problem" are more natural. In science writing, "disturbance" almost always names a specific, measurable change in a system, not a feeling or social problem.
Meaning
change in a system’s normal state
Collocations
atmospheric disturbance
|electrical disturbance
|gravitational disturbance
|disturbance in the signal
|environmental disturbance
|disturbance in the data
Synonyms
perturbation (More technical; common in physics, mathematics, and related fields.)
|
fluctuation (Emphasizes repeated or continuous changes rather than a single disturbance.)
Antonyms
stability (Describes a system that does not change easily or suddenly.)
|
equilibrium (Refers to a balanced, unchanging state in a system.)
Themes
science
|technology
|environment
|nature
Definition
A change that stops a system, like weather or a signal, from staying normal and steady.
A change or irregularity in the normal state of a physical, environmental, or abstract system, such as the atmosphere, a signal, or an ecosystem.
Grammar
Dictionary form
disturbance
IPA
GB/dɪstˈɚbəns/
US/dɪstˈɚbəns/
Syllables & stress
dis - turb - ance (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (turb)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: disturbance
- Plural: disturbance, disturbances
Word family
Forms
disturbances
noun
Core family
Related words
disturbingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
undisturbed
adjective
Expressions
atmospheric disturbance
1/ˌætməsfˈɛɹɪk dɪstˈɚbəns/
fixed phrase
technical
irregular change in the atmosphere
a change in the air and weather, such as a storm system, that breaks normal conditions
Examples
- Meteorologists are tracking an atmospheric disturbance moving across the Atlantic.
- The storm developed from a small atmospheric disturbance over warm water.
cause a disturbance
1/kˈɔz ə dɪstˈɚbəns/
fixed phrase
to create trouble or disruption
to do something that breaks the peace or normal order in a place, often with noise or trouble
Examples
- Several fans were removed from the stadium after they caused a disturbance.
- Please leave the library if you are going to cause a disturbance.
create a disturbance
1/kɹiˈeɪt ə dɪstˈɚbəns/
fixed phrase
to bring about a disruption
to make trouble or noise that stops a place from being quiet or orderly
Examples
- They were warned not to create a disturbance during the ceremony.
- Anyone who creates a disturbance will be asked to leave.
disturbance of the peace
1/dɪstˈɚbəns əv ðə pˈis/
fixed phrase
formal
legal term for disrupting public peace
a crime of making too much noise or trouble in public so that normal peace is broken
Examples
- He was fined for disturbance of the peace after shouting in the street all night.
- The two men were charged with disturbance of the peace outside the bar.
domestic disturbance
1/dəmˈɛstɪk dɪstˈɚbəns/
fixed phrase
police call for trouble at home
a situation where there is shouting, fighting, or trouble inside a home, often leading to a call to the police
Examples
- Officers responded to a domestic disturbance at an apartment on Pine Street.
- The 911 call reported a possible domestic disturbance in the building.
emotional disturbance
1/ɪmˈoʊʃənəl dɪstˈɚbəns/
fixed phrase
formal
serious emotional or psychological upset
a serious problem with a person’s emotions or behavior, often needing professional help
Examples
- The child was diagnosed with an emotional disturbance and began therapy.
- Long-term emotional disturbance can affect a student’s ability to learn.
public disturbance
1/pˈʌblɪk dɪstˈɚbəns/
fixed phrase
trouble or disorder in public
noise, fighting, or trouble in a public place that breaks normal order
Examples
- The city saw a small public disturbance after the match.
- Police are investigating the cause of last night’s public disturbance downtown.