disrupting

verb

present participle of disrupt
1
as in breaking
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly an earthquake that had disrupted the elevated highway in several places

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shuffling
to undo the proper order or arrangement of the arrival of a baby in the household would totally disrupt their established routine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disrupting Earlier this month, Ukrainian drones connected to Starshield lost connectivity at high speeds, disrupting air defenses during daily Russian air attacks. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 The new enforcement effort is disrupting daily life as some parents with visitor visas avoid crossing altogether. — Angela Kocherga, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026 Trauma, van der Kolk argues, can persist long after the danger has passed, disrupting the ability to integrate painful memories and move forward. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026 Officials said any drone traveling above 100 mph lost its connection, disrupting some missions. — Azhar Sukri,terri Cullen, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026 Sectarian tensions and the disrupting force of the Cold War plunged the Middle Eastern nation into decades of armed conflict, with a chilling effect on daily life. — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026 What’s Happening Shorter days are already disrupting circadian rhythms, the internal biological processes that regulate sleep, alertness and mood. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026 Habits are usually paired with physical or emotional cues, and disrupting those cues can disrupt the habit. — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Eight years ago, protesters frequently drove coverage in their preferred direction by disrupting candidates (Movimiento Cosecha pushed Biden to endorse a deportation moratorium, for instance) and showing up to press them at Q&As. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disrupting
  1. breaking
  2. shuffling
  3. fracturing
  4. disturbing
  5. destroying
  6. confusing
  7. reducing
  8. upsetting
Verb
  • Reporter covering breaking and trending news Jay-Z will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February, the NFL announced Monday, putting the award-winning rapper into the spotlight seven years after his company started producing the event.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • That puts Adebayo just seven rebounds from breaking Udonis Haslem’s franchise record of 5,791 rebounds in a Heat uniform.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of breaking
Verb
  • The Current traded away some assets while shuffling stars like Michelle Cooper, Temwa Chawinga and Lorena in and out of the lineup.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And for a quarterback whose superpower involves shuffling through collapsing pockets, scrambling through squalor, throwing off any and every platform — such a question was warranted.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffling
Verb
  • Michael Flynn was 28 and working towards earning his PHD in theoretical physics when the 30-foot-long dead tree limb fell over 27 feet onto him, fracturing his skull and changing his life forever.
    — Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Apart from the group’s buy-in to doing the little things, its commitment to unselfish football keeps one of the most dynamic running games in the country from fracturing.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of fracturing
Verb
  • How the storm drain will be repaired Rather than digging up the entire pipe and disturbing residents’ yards, crews plan to install a new lining inside the existing pipe.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • On vehicles with a dedicated secondary passenger display, front passengers can browse, view lyrics, and watch video content without disturbing the driver.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • After destroying much of Gaza and killing tens of thousands of Palestinians, Israel has regained military control of nearly 70 percent of the strip.
    — Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But if firms lean on AI to cut lower-level work, the risk is destroying the very avenue of apprenticeship that produces future senior associates and managers.
    — Tim Brackney, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • The Justice Department has argued in its suit that the name overlap risks confusing voters.
    — Willem Marx, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Cyan could theoretically fill the visual gap without confusing road users.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Climate policies are reducing emissions Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement just over a decade ago, global renewable electricity capacity has grown three times faster than anticipated, while solar PV build-out has increased seven times faster.
    — Simmone Shah, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The filter also makes the page look like a poster left too long in the sun, washing it out and reducing contrast compared to monochrome e-readers.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Both teams picked up pivotal wins last week, with the Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) upsetting rival Baylor 17-6, while the Mountaineers (4-3, 1-3) earned a thrilling, last-second 45-42 win over Cincinnati.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Before upsetting Montana State Idaho lost three FCS nonconference games by a total of 12 points.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of upsetting

Browse Nearby Words

disrupters
disrupting
disruption
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Cite this Entry

“Disrupting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disrupting. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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