1. The act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion
   "The disturbance in the pond scared the fish away"
    
2. A disorderly outburst or tumult
   "they were amazed by the furious disturbance they had caused";
   - disruption, commotion, flutter, hurly burly, to-do [informal], hoo-ha [informal], hoo-hah [informal], kerfuffle [Brit, informal], carry-on [Brit, informal], song and dance [Brit, informal]
    
3. Activity that is a malfunction, intrusion, or interruption
   "he looked around for the source of the disturbance"; "there was a disturbance of neural function";
   - perturbation
    
4. An unhappy and worried mental state
   "there was too much anger and disturbance";
   - perturbation, upset
    
5. A noisy fight
   "A disturbance broke out in the bar after a heated argument";
   - affray, fray, ruffle
    
6. (psychiatry) a psychological disorder of thought or emotion; a more neutral term than mental illness
   "The psychiatrist diagnosed him with a mental disturbance requiring long-term treatment";
   - mental disorder, mental disturbance, psychological disorder, folie [archaic]
    
7. Electrical or acoustic activity that can disturb communication
   "Electromagnetic disturbance affected the satellite signal";
   - noise, interference

Derived forms: disturbances

See also: bother, fuss, hassle [informal], shindy [informal], stink [informal], trouble

Type of: activity, agitation, combat, disorder, fight, fighting, motility, motion, move, movement, scrap, trouble, upset

Encyclopedia: Disturbance