Word
disruptive
Phoneticsdis·rup·tive
US/dɪsˈɹəptɪv/
UK/dɪsɹˈʌptɪv/
Definitions
01causing trouble or interruption
adj. causing problems that stop something from continuing in a normal or quiet way.
adj. causing or tending to cause disruption by interrupting the normal progress or activity of a system or group.
“The teacher asked the disruptive student to leave the classroom for a few minutes.”
“The construction work outside proved highly disruptive to the office staff, making it nearly impossible to conduct phone calls during the day.”
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02changing a market
adj. describes a new product or service that completely changes the way a business market works.
adj. relating to a new technology or business model that creates a new market and eventually displaces established competitors.
“Smartphones were a disruptive technology that changed how we use the internet.”
“The startup's disruptive business model forced legacy companies to rethink their entire supply chain strategy to remain competitive in the digital age.”
Academic · Technical
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Real-World Examples
“At once longed-for and disruptive, any break from place or routine can be double-edged.” “Some argue that takeovers happen because teens do not have spaces to gather in less disruptive ways.” Etymology
From disrupt + -ive. In the business sense popularized by Clayton Christensen and Joseph Bower, see 1995 citation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/disruptive