disturbance
Breach of peace
Disturbance is an interruption of peace, order, or stability.
A disturbance in the neighborhood might be a loud argument; a sleep disturbance disrupts rest.
The word covers everything from minor annoyances to serious disruptions—emotional disturbances, atmospheric disturbances, civil disturbances.
In legal contexts, creating a disturbance means conduct that disturbs public peace: He was arrested for causing a disturbance.
Noisy public disturbance
- tumultNoisy, chaotic disturbance
- ruckusNoisy, disruptive commotion
- fracasNoisy disorderly fight
- brouhahaNoisy public uproar
hullabaloo · kerfuffle · clamor · pandemonium · bedlam · melee · riot · outcry
Uproar, scam, or paddle
Persistent apprehensive distress
- agitationDisturbed, restless state
- distressSevere anxiety or suffering
- uneaseMild persistent worry
- disquietMental unrest or agitation
upset · trauma · discomfort · unrest · turmoil · worry · anguish · affliction
Without motion or change
- jammingBlocking or wedging forcefully
- crosstalkSignal bleeding between channels
- distortionTwisting from original state
- feedbackReturned response data
noise · clutter · jitter · fading · interception · scrambling · attenuation · hash
Break in continuity
- interferenceUnwelcome involvement in affairs
- stoppageInterruption of flow
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- outageLoss of electrical service
shutdown · obstruction · suspension · halt · derailment · dislocation · discontinuity · malfunction
State of being bothered
- nuisanceCause of aggravation
- botherTo annoy or disturb
- hassleIrritating difficulty
- intrusionUnauthorized entry into space
aggravation · irritation · molestation · pestering · badgering · provocation · imposition · trespass
Decline in condition
- pollutionEnvironmental harm from waste
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- erosionGradual wearing away
- eutrophicationExcess nutrients depleting oxygen
succession · fragmentation · desertification · drought · wildfire · flooding · infestation · dieback
Counter-flowing circular currents
- vorticesRotating fluid masses
- gustsSudden bursts of air
- shearLateral sliding force
- buffetingRepeated striking or jolting
chop · instability · fluctuations · whirlpools · currents · updrafts · downdrafts · wake
uproar
Noisy public disturbance
brouhaha · hullabaloo · kerfuffle · clamor · pandemonium · bedlam · melee · riot · outcry · furor
racket
Uproar, scam, or paddle
bang · roar · blare · honk · thud · clang · squeal · buzz · drone · rumble
anxiety
Persistent apprehensive distress
disquiet · upset · trauma · discomfort · unrest · turmoil · worry · anguish · affliction · malaise
static
Without motion or change
- jammingBlocking or wedging forcefully
- crosstalkSignal bleeding between channels
- distortionTwisting from original state
feedback · noise · clutter · jitter · fading · interception · scrambling · attenuation · hash · flutter
interruption
Break in continuity
- interferenceUnwelcome involvement in affairs
- stoppageInterruption of flow
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
outage · shutdown · obstruction · suspension · halt · derailment · dislocation · discontinuity · malfunction · blackout
annoyance
State of being bothered
intrusion · aggravation · irritation · molestation · pestering · badgering · provocation · imposition · trespass · invasion
degradation
Decline in condition
- pollutionEnvironmental harm from waste
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- erosionGradual wearing away
eutrophication · succession · fragmentation · desertification · drought · wildfire · flooding · infestation · dieback · invasion
eddies
Counter-flowing circular currents
buffeting · chop · instability · fluctuations · whirlpools · currents · updrafts · downdrafts · wake · swirls
- disruptionsinterruption, interference, delay, obstruction, service disruption
- rowdinessrowdiness, boisterousness, raucousness, unruliness, roughhousing
- public offensesriot, affray, disorderly conduct, public nuisance, breach of peace
- discorddiscord, Discord, dissonance, discordance, dissonant
- eventsevent, events, party, parties, wedding
- commotioncommotion, clamor, brouhaha, bedlam, hullabaloo
disturbancecalm
Free from agitation
peace · serenity · tranquility · composure · calmness
- public disturbanceDisorderly conduct affecting others
- civil disturbanceViolent public disorder event
- sleep disturbanceInterrupted or poor rest
- disturbance of the peaceIllegal public disruption
- gait disturbanceAbnormal walking pattern
- emotional disturbanceUpset mental state