disturbed
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
feeling very worried, shocked, or upset by something you have seen or heard.
experiencing significant emotional or mental distress; often used to describe a reaction to unsettling information or events.
Simple“She was deeply disturbed by the news of the accident.”
In context“The witnesses were visibly disturbed by the graphic nature of the testimony, with several requiring a brief recess to compose themselves.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
having serious mental health problems or behaving in a strange, worrying way.
exhibiting symptoms of significant psychological or emotional instability.
Simple“The film tells the story of a disturbed young man living alone in the woods.”
In context“Clinical evaluations suggested the defendant was a severely disturbed individual whose actions were driven by long-term untreated psychosis.”
Teacher's tipIn modern contexts, 'mentally ill' or 'unwell' is often preferred in clinical settings, as 'disturbed' can carry a judgmental tone.
Synonymsunbalancedmaladjusted - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
having been moved, changed, or touched by someone.
having had its natural or original state interrupted or altered by an external force.
Simple“The police noticed that the soil in the garden had been disturbed.”
In context“The archaeologists were disappointed to find that the burial site had been disturbed by looters centuries earlier, leaving few artifacts intact.”
Synonyms
“Researchers have spent years investigating connections between disturbed sleep and neurodegenerative diseases.”