disruption
noun
dis·rup·tion
dis-ˈrəp-shən 
plural disruptions
: 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
David MechanicBy 1925 most countries had recovered from the economic disruptions caused by the Great War of 1914-18.—John A. Garraty
John A. GarratyExamples 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
Unlike conventional waste heat recovery technologies—which are often bulky, expensive, and difficult to integrate—ATS has developed a compact, scalable solid-state solution with no moving parts that can be integrated into existing infrastructure with minimal disruption.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
There were tons of disruptions to business during the era of lockdowns and social distancing, and that hurt the ability of restaurants to serve customers.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 18 Mar. 2025
President Donald Trump halted his administration's repeal of the exemption in February after the rapid change created disruptions for customs inspectors, postal and delivery services and online retailers.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
Research in the journal Sleep Science, explains that the disruption comes from the blue light suppresses melatonin, heightened emotions as a result of content that can leave you anxious or depressed, and plain scrolling on social media, for instance, instead of actually sleeping.
—Miranda Silva, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disruption
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Afdhel Aziz, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
There were tons of disruptions to business during the era of lockdowns and social distancing, and that hurt the ability of restaurants to serve customers.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 18 Mar. 2025
President Donald Trump halted his administration's repeal of the exemption in February after the rapid change created disruptions for customs inspectors, postal and delivery services and online retailers.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
Research in the journal Sleep Science, explains that the disruption comes from the blue light suppresses melatonin, heightened emotions as a result of content that can leave you anxious or depressed, and plain scrolling on social media, for instance, instead of actually sleeping.
—Miranda Silva, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disruption
Cite this Entry
“Disruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disruption. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
disruption
noun
dis·rup·tion
dis-ˈrəp-shən
: 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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