English Reference

Word

disrupted

Phoneticsdis·rupt·ed

US/dɪsˈɹəptɪd/

UK/dɪsɹˈʌptɪd/

Definitions

01interrupted or broken

B2

adj. describing something that cannot continue normally because of a problem or change.

adj. characterised by an interruption in the normal progress or continuity of an activity, system, or process.

“The storm caused a disrupted train service, leaving many passengers waiting at the station.”

“The disrupted supply chain led to significant delays in the manufacturing sector, forcing the company to revise its quarterly projections.”

Usage

Often used to describe schedules, services, or biological rhythms like sleep.

02past action of interrupting

B2

v. the past tense of 'disrupt', meaning you stopped something from happening in the usual way.

v. the past tense and past participle form of the transitive verb 'disrupt', indicating the act of causing disorder or interrupting a process.

“The loud construction work disrupted our meeting yesterday morning.”

“Protesters disrupted the keynote speech, demanding that the board address the environmental concerns raised in the recent report.”

Usage

As a verb, it requires a direct object that represents the system or event being interrupted.

Real-World Examples

“Western officials have previously warned that Russia stepped up a campaign of targeted killings since Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, saying they had disrupted several plots across Europe.”
The Guardian · 13 Aug 2026
“Tens of thousands of travelers’ plans have been disrupted in the past week.”
The New York Times · 13 Aug 2026
“Train passengers on some networks are being warned by rail operators to only travel if the journey is vital, saying services are likely to be disrupted because of the weather.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026
“The conflict in the Middle East has pushed up oil and fuel prices, and also disrupted supply chains.”
BBC News · 12 Aug 2026

Collocations

disrupted by a hamstringdisrupted by combat

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/disrupted

English Reference