disturbance
gb/dɪstˈɚbəns/ us/dɪstˈɚbəns/
B1
Inglês
~ 6100
Acepções
0 acepção
Substantivo
B1
event
1
interruption of peace or normal activity
Something that stops things from being quiet or normal, often with noise or movement.
Padrão de uso:
cause a disturbance in [a place]
Erro comum:
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."
Sinônimos
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.)
Antônimos
peace (Refers to a calm and quiet state with no disturbance.)
|
calm (Describes a situation without noise, movement, or trouble.)
Colocações
cause a disturbance
|create a disturbance
|minor disturbance
|noise disturbance
|disturbance in the classroom
|disturbance in the neighborhood
Temas
daily life
|law
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- The building manager apologized for the disturbance caused by the late-night repairs.
- There was a brief disturbance in the office when the fire alarm went off.
- 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.
Exemplos para estudantes
- I am sorry for the disturbance during your meeting.
- The loud music made a disturbance in the hotel.
- 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.
Substantivo
B2
event
2
public trouble or disorder
Public trouble or fighting in a place, often so serious that the police come.
Padrão de uso:
a disturbance broke out in [a place]
Erro comum:
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."
Sinônimos
unrest (Often used for larger, more ongoing public disorder, especially political.)
|
riot (Stronger; suggests more serious, widespread violence than a disturbance.)
Antônimos
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.)
Colocações
public disturbance
|domestic disturbance
|a disturbance broke out
|police responded to a disturbance
|disturbance at the protest
|report of a disturbance
Temas
law
|politics
|society
|daily_life
Exemplos
- Police were called to a disturbance outside the nightclub.
- Several people were arrested after a disturbance broke out at the football match.
- 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.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The police came because there was a disturbance in the street.
- A disturbance started at the concert, and people began to shout.
- 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.
Substantivo
formal
B2
state
3
emotional or mental upset
A strong feeling that your mind or emotions are not calm or healthy.
Padrão de uso:
emotional disturbance in [someone]
Erro comum:
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.
Sinônimos
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.)
Antônimos
emotional stability (Describes a calm, balanced emotional state without disturbance.)
|
mental health (Refers to a healthy, undisturbed state of mind.)
Colocações
emotional disturbance
|mental disturbance
|psychological disturbance
|signs of disturbance
|a deep sense of disturbance
|behavioral disturbance
Temas
emotions
|health
Exemplos
- The child showed signs of emotional disturbance after the accident.
- Her nightmares were a symptom of a deeper psychological disturbance.
- 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.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The bad news caused him great disturbance inside.
- She has emotional disturbance after the crash.
- 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.
Substantivo
technical
C1
event
4
change in a system’s normal state
A change that stops a system, like weather or a signal, from staying normal and steady.
Padrão de uso:
a disturbance in [a system or medium]
Erro comum:
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.
Sinônimos
perturbation (More technical; common in physics, mathematics, and related fields.)
|
fluctuation (Emphasizes repeated or continuous changes rather than a single disturbance.)
Antônimos
stability (Describes a system that does not change easily or suddenly.)
|
equilibrium (Refers to a balanced, unchanging state in a system.)
Colocações
atmospheric disturbance
|electrical disturbance
|gravitational disturbance
|disturbance in the signal
|environmental disturbance
|disturbance in the data
Temas
science
|technology
|environment
|nature
Exemplos
- The storm was caused by a large atmospheric disturbance over the ocean.
- Engineers detected a disturbance in the electrical signal.
- 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.
Exemplos para estudantes
- The satellite showed a big disturbance in the weather system.
- There was a disturbance in the signal, so the picture on the TV was not clear.
- 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.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
disturbance
AFI
GB/dɪstˈɚbəns/
US/dɪstˈɚbəns/
Sílabas e tonicidade
dis - turb - ance (3 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (turb)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: disturbance
- Plural: disturbance, disturbances
Família de palavras
Forms
disturbances
noun
Core family
Related words
disturbingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
undisturbed
adjective
Expressões
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
Exemplos
- 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
Exemplos
- 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
Exemplos
- 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
Exemplos
- 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
Exemplos
- 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
Exemplos
- 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
Exemplos
- The city saw a small public disturbance after the match.
- Police are investigating the cause of last night’s public disturbance downtown.