disruption
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a situation where an activity or system is stopped from continuing normally.
the act of preventing a system, process, or event from continuing as usual or as expected.
Simple“The heavy snow caused a major disruption to the local train service this morning.”
In context“The sudden strike by air traffic controllers led to widespread disruption across European flight networks, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
noisy or confused behavior that stops something from happening quietly or correctly.
a state of disorder or a continuing act of social or institutional disturbance.
Simple“The protesters were arrested for causing a disruption during the mayor's speech.”
In context“The administration implemented strict security measures to prevent any further disruption of the academic proceedings by activist groups.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a big change in an industry caused by a new product or way of doing things.
the process by which a smaller company with fewer resources is able to successfully challenge established incumbent businesses.
Simple“The rise of streaming services caused a huge disruption in the traditional film industry.”
In context“Economists argue that digital disruption is inevitable in sectors where legacy players fail to adapt to shifting consumer preferences and technological advancements.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'digital disruption'.
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage disruption caused · disruption to the daily · disruptions in the mail
“The 2022 call-up triggered one of the biggest episodes of domestic disruption since the invasion began, prompting a mass exodus of Russians and a sharp drop in Putin’s approval ratings.”
“The indefinite strike by Groundforce workers at El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN) has continued to cause disruption for travellers in its second week.”
From Latin disruptionem, from disrumpere. By surface analysis, disrupt + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.