disturbance

Noun

disturbance (countable and uncountable, plural disturbances)

1. The act of disturbing, being disturbed.
2. Something that disturbs.
   • That guy causes a lot of trouble, you know, he’s such a disturbance.
3. A noisy commotion that causes a hubbub or interruption.

   Synonyms:

   shindy

4. An interruption of that which is normal or regular.
   • Phoenix and Lubbock are both caught in severe drought, and it is going to get much worse. We may see many such [dust] storms in the decades ahead, along with species extinctions, radical disturbance of ecosystems, and intensified social conflict over land and water. Welcome to the Anthropocene, the...2012 January, Donald Worster, “A Drier and Hotter Future”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2012, page 70
   • Blue No. 1 and yellow No. 6 may also be toxic to some human cells. And as little as 1 milligram of yellow dye No. 5 may cause irritability, restlessness and sleep disturbances for sensitive children.2025 March 29, Kristen Rogers, “Over half of US states are trying to eliminate food dyes. Here’s what you can do now”, in CNN
5. A serious mental imbalance or illness.