- (transitive) to throw into turmoil or disorder
- (transitive) to interrupt the progress of (a movement, meeting, etc)
- to break or split (something) apart
- to challenge established methods in (a market, technology, etc) with the intention of changing the way it operates
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
dis•rupt /dɪsˈrʌpt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to cause disorder or turmoil in:The war disrupted the lives of millions.
- to interrupt the normal operation of:The tornado disrupted broadcasting along the entire coast.
dis•rupt
(dis rupt′),USA pronunciation v.t.
adj.
dis•rupt′er, dis•rup′tor, n.
- to cause disorder or turmoil in:The news disrupted their conference.
- to destroy, usually temporarily, the normal continuance or unity of;
interrupt:Telephone service was disrupted for hours. - to break apart:to disrupt a connection.
adj.
- broken apart;
disrupted.
- Latin disruptus (variant of dīruptus, past participle of dīrumpere; dī- di-2 + rumpere to break), equivalent. to dis- dis-1 + rup- break + -tus past participle suffix
- 1650–60
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
disrupt /dɪsˈrʌpt/ vb
'to disrupt' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bust-up
- convulse
- dislocate
- disorganize
- information warfare
- spoil
- unhinge
- Wingate
- break
- dirty tricks
- disrupt
- disruption
- full-court press
- goblin
- rock