disruption
gb/dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/ us/dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
B1
English
~ 6300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
event
1
interruption of normal activity
A break or problem that stops something from working or happening normally.
Usage pattern:
disruption to [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"make a disruption"* instead of *"cause a disruption" or "cause disruption". Also, many learners confuse "disruption" with "eruption" (for volcanoes) or "corruption" (for dishonest behavior), which have different meanings.
Synonyms
interruption (Focuses on the break in continuity, often more neutral and slightly broader in use.)
|
disturbance (Suggests a noticeable upset or inconvenience, sometimes with noise or confusion.)
Antonyms
continuity (Emphasizes that something goes on without a break or interruption.)
Collocations
cause disruption
|major disruption
|travel disruption
|service disruption
|minimal disruption
|disruption to traffic
Themes
daily life
|business
|transportation
|technology
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The snow caused severe disruption to train services across the country.
- We apologize for any disruption to your work during the installation.
- Roadworks will cause some disruption to traffic this weekend.
- The power cut led to widespread disruption in the city.
- The company introduced new software without much disruption to daily operations.
Learner examples
- The storm caused disruption to flights at the airport.
- We want to repair the office with minimal disruption to staff.
- There was a big disruption to the class when the fire alarm rang.
- The bus strike will cause disruption to many people’s journeys.
Noun
technical
C1
event
2
industry change from innovation
A big change in a market or industry, when new ideas or technology replace older ways of doing business.
Usage pattern:
disruption in [a market/industry]
Common mistake:
Learners may use this sense where the general sense of "problem or interruption" is meant, for example saying *"There is a lot of disruption in my life"* when no business or technology change is involved. This business meaning is usually used with words like "market", "industry", "sector", or "business model".
Synonyms
upheaval (Highlights the sudden and sometimes chaotic nature of the change, not limited to business or technology.)
|
shake-up (More informal; suggests strong changes inside an organization or industry, but not always driven by technology.)
Antonyms
status quo (Refers to the existing state of things remaining unchanged, especially in a market or industry.)
Collocations
market disruption
|industry disruption
|digital disruption
|technological disruption
|disruption in the sector
|disruption of traditional models
Themes
business
|technology
|economics
Examples
- Streaming platforms caused major disruption in the television and film industries.
- The report warns that artificial intelligence will bring significant disruption to the job market.
- Startups are driving rapid disruption in the banking sector through mobile-only services.
- Many traditional retailers struggled to survive the disruption caused by online shopping.
- Investors are looking for companies that can lead, rather than suffer from, digital disruption.
Learner examples
- Online shopping has created big disruption in the retail industry.
- New apps are causing disruption in the taxi market.
- Many workers fear disruption to their jobs from robots and AI.
- The company wants to be a leader of disruption, not a victim of it.
Noun
technical
C2
event
3
physical breakdown or disturbance
Serious damage or change to how something physical, like cells, a system, or a process, is built or works.
Usage pattern:
disruption of [a structure/system/process]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this is a more technical or scientific use and might overuse it in casual speech where simpler words like "damage" or "break" are more natural. In everyday conversation, "damage" is usually better than "disruption" for physical objects.
Synonyms
breakdown (Emphasizes that a system or structure stops working correctly, sometimes less physical and more functional.)
|
damage (A very general word; does not always suggest a complete loss of structure or function.)
Antonyms
integrity (Suggests that the structure or system remains whole and undamaged.)
Collocations
disruption of cells
|hormonal disruption
|ecosystem disruption
|disruption of the supply chain
|disruption of brain function
|plasma disruption
Themes
science
|medicine
|technology
|health
Examples
- The drug can cause disruption of normal hormone levels in the body.
- Pollution has led to serious disruption of the local ecosystem.
- Scientists are studying how trauma results in the disruption of brain connections.
- The reactor was shut down to prevent a catastrophic plasma disruption.
- Pandemic-related factory closures caused major disruption of the global supply chain.
Learner examples
- The illness caused disruption of his normal brain function.
- Plastic waste creates disruption in ocean ecosystems.
- The company fears disruption of the supply chain if the port closes.
- In medicine, disruption of cells can be very dangerous.
Grammar
Dictionary form
disruption
IPA
GB/dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
US/dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
Syllables & stress
dis - rup - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (rup)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: disruption
- Plural: disruption, disruptions
Word family
Forms
disruptions
noun
Core family
disrupt
verb B2
disruptive
adjective B2
Related words
disruptively
adverb
disruptor
noun
Expressions
business disruption
1/bˈɪznɪs dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
interruption of business operations
A break or problem that stops normal business work or processes.
Examples
- The company took out insurance to cover business disruption after natural disasters.
- Remote working helped reduce business disruption during the pandemic.
cause disruption
1/kˈɔz dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
create an interruption or problem
To make a situation where things cannot continue or work normally.
Examples
- Heavy snow is expected to cause disruption on the roads tonight.
- We hope the building work will not cause too much disruption for our neighbors.
climate disruption
1/klˈaɪmɪt dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
serious disturbance to climate
Strong changes in usual weather patterns, mainly because of human actions like burning fossil fuels.
Examples
- Scientists warn that continued emissions will lead to severe climate disruption.
- Communities are already facing climate disruption in the form of extreme storms and droughts.
digital disruption
1/dˈɪd͡ʒɪtəl dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
change caused by digital tech
Big changes in business or daily life that happen because of new digital technology.
Examples
- Many companies are struggling to keep up with digital disruption.
- Digital disruption has transformed how people watch TV and listen to music.
disruption to
1/dɪsɹˈʌpʃən tə/
fixed phrase
interruption affecting something
An interruption that affects a specific thing, such as work, travel, or school.
Examples
- We aim to keep disruption to students to a minimum.
- Roadworks will cause some disruption to traffic this week.
major disruption
1/mˈeɪd͡ʒɚ dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
very serious interruption
A very big and serious break in the normal way things happen.
Examples
- The strike is likely to cause major disruption to public transport.
- Flooding has caused major disruption across the region.
market disruption
1/mˈɑɹkɪt dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
big change in a market
A big change in a market, usually when new ideas or technology replace old ways of selling or buying.
Examples
- Online platforms have caused significant market disruption in the taxi industry.
- Investors are watching for signs of market disruption from new competitors.
minimal disruption
1/mˈɪnəməl dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
very little interruption
Very small or almost no break in the normal way things happen.
Examples
- Repairs will be carried out with minimal disruption to staff.
- The new system was introduced with minimal disruption to customers.
service disruption
1/sˈɚvɪs dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
interruption of a service
A time when a service, like internet, water, or trains, does not work as it normally does.
Examples
- Customers may experience temporary service disruption during maintenance.
- The airline apologized for the service disruption caused by technical problems.
travel disruption
1/tɹˈævəl dɪsɹˈʌpʃən/
fixed phrase
problems affecting journeys
Problems that stop people from making their trips normally, or that cause long delays.
Examples
- Bad weather is expected to cause travel disruption over the weekend.
- Strikes at the airport led to serious travel disruption for thousands of passengers.