disrupted; disrupting; disrupts
1
2
a
: to interrupt the normal course or unity of
… disrupted a bridge game by permanently hiding up the ace of spades …—
Scott Fitzgerald
Scott Fitzgerald
b
business
: to cause upheaval in (an industry, market, etc.)
The banking industry, on the other hand, is being disrupted by a breakdown of the model of paying money on deposits and taking interest on loans.—Cromwell Schubarth
Cromwell Schubarth
specifically
: to successfully challenge (established businesses, products, or services) by using an innovation (such as a new technology or business model) to gain a foothold in a marginal or new segment of the market and then fundamentally changing the nature of the market
In contrast, the digital technologies that allowed personal computers to disrupt minicomputers improved much more quickly; Compaq was able to increase revenue more than tenfold and reach parity with the industry leader, DEC, in only 12 years. —Clayton M. Christensen et al.
Clayton M. Christensen et al. … this innovative service that might disrupt the industry comes at the low end of the product/service/technology, a place where these high-end consumers have neither interest nor experience. This low-end attack, which initially does not attract much attention, might grow to be a high quality service that supplants the incumbent. —Eitan Muller
Eitan Muller
disrupter
noun
or less commonly disruptor
Synonyms
Examples of disrupt in a Sentence
The barking dogs disrupted my sleep.
The weather disrupted our travel plans.
a chemical that disrupts cell function
Recent Examples on the Web
Another possibility is that both sugars and artificial sweeteners can disrupt the healthy balance of gut bacteria in the GI tract, which may lead to the development of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, says Prest.
—Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Certain Medical Conditions Some underlying health conditions that disrupt hormone levels may cause spotting.
—Cristina Mutchler, Health, 7 Apr. 2024
The data is from 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted care patterns.
—Judith Graham, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
His campaign stops are frequently disrupted by pro-Palestinian protests.
—Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Russ Wiles Warmer weather means more motorists on the road and slightly higher gasoline prices at the pump, though no sharp increases as in 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted international supplies of crude oil.
—The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
President Biden is visiting Baltimore Friday in a show of support after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sent shock waves through the city and disrupted the state's traffic and commerce.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
The drugs worked by disrupting the activities of rogue proteins, produced as a result of specific genetic mutations that were known to promote cancer growth.
—Edward Abrahams and Christopher J. Wells, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
Republicans had filed an emergency appeal since the new map disrupts four legislative seats currently held by the GOP.
—Marilyn W. Thompson, ProPublica, 4 Apr. 2024
Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Certain Medical Conditions Some underlying health conditions that disrupt hormone levels may cause spotting.
—Cristina Mutchler, Health, 7 Apr. 2024
The data is from 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted care patterns.
—Judith Graham, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
His campaign stops are frequently disrupted by pro-Palestinian protests.
—Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Russ Wiles Warmer weather means more motorists on the road and slightly higher gasoline prices at the pump, though no sharp increases as in 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted international supplies of crude oil.
—The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
President Biden is visiting Baltimore Friday in a show of support after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sent shock waves through the city and disrupted the state's traffic and commerce.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
The drugs worked by disrupting the activities of rogue proteins, produced as a result of specific genetic mutations that were known to promote cancer growth.
—Edward Abrahams and Christopher J. Wells, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
Republicans had filed an emergency appeal since the new map disrupts four legislative seats currently held by the GOP.
—Marilyn W. Thompson, ProPublica, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disrupt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Articles Related to disrupt
Dictionary Entries Near disrupt
Cite this Entry
“Disrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disrupt. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
disrupt
verb
dis·rupt
dis-ˈrəpt 
: to throw into disorder
disrupted the class
disrupter
noun
disruptively
adverb
disruptiveness
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on disrupt
Nglish: Translation of disrupt for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of disrupt for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share