disruptverb [ T ]
uk/dɪsˈrʌpt/us/dɪsˈrʌpt/B2 to prevent something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected:
Heavy snow disrupted travel into the city this morning.
The meeting was disrupted by a group of protesters who shouted and threw fruit at the speaker.
specialized business to change the traditional way that an industry operates, especially in a new and effective way:
Dell Inc. disrupted the traditional way of selling computers by switching to the internet.
More examples
- Long-haul flights can seriously disrupt your biological clock.
- Her speech was disrupted by a jeering group of protesters at the front of the crowd.
- Several England supporters were arrested after disrupting the match.
- Inevitably, this tragedy has seriously disrupted Rosie's schoolwork.
- A protester rushed into the studio, disrupting the news broadcast.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Upsetting and destabilizing
- bring
- bring sb down
- delegitimize
- destabilize
- dislocate
- disruptive
- loop
- make waves idiom
- put the skids under sth idiom
- rock
- rock the boat idiom
- scupper
- stir
- turn sth upside down idiom
- undercut
- undermine
- upset
- upside down
- wave
See more results »
disruption
noun [ C or U ] uk/dɪsˈrʌp.ʃən/us/dɪsˈrʌp.ʃən/
Examples
- It would cause a tremendous disruption to our work schedule to install a different computer system.
- The military coup brought further disruption to a country already struggling with famine.
- The strike brought severe disruption to flights over the holiday weekend.
- Further disruption is expected later tonight when more heavy snow is expected.
- We apologize for the disruption while essential motorway repairs are being carried out.
C1
The accident is causing widespread disruption on the roads.
the disruption of the telecoms industry