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REFERENCE

disturbed

adj.
US //dɪˈstɝbd// UK //dɪstˈɜːbd// dis·turbed
  1. 1 emotionally upset (adj.)
    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.

    Example

    She was deeply disturbed by the news of the accident.

    Example

    The witnesses were visibly disturbed by the graphic nature of the testimony, with several requiring a brief recess to compose themselves.
  2. 2 mentally ill (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Medicine

    having serious mental health problems or behaving in a strange, worrying way.

    exhibiting symptoms of significant psychological or emotional instability.

    Example

    The film tells the story of a disturbed young man living alone in the woods.

    Example

    Clinical evaluations suggested the defendant was a severely disturbed individual whose actions were driven by long-term untreated psychosis.

    Teacher's tip

    In modern contexts, 'mentally ill' or 'unwell' is often preferred in clinical settings, as 'disturbed' can carry a judgmental tone.
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  1. 3 moved or touched (adj.)
    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.

    Example

    The police noticed that the soil in the garden had been disturbed.

    Example

    The archaeologists were disappointed to find that the burial site had been disturbed by looters centuries earlier, leaving few artifacts intact.
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