# disturbed

/dɪˈstɝbd/ (US) · /dɪstˈɜːbd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/disturbed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. emotionally upset

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling very worried, shocked, or upset by something you have seen or heard.

For teachers: experiencing significant emotional or mental distress; often used to describe a reaction to unsettling information or events.

- She was deeply disturbed by the news of the accident.
- The witnesses were visibly disturbed by the graphic nature of the testimony, with several requiring a brief recess to compose themselves.

### 2. mentally ill

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

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

For teachers: exhibiting symptoms of significant psychological or emotional instability.

- The film tells the story of a disturbed young man living alone in the woods.
- Clinical evaluations suggested the defendant was a severely disturbed individual whose actions were driven by long-term untreated psychosis.

Teaching tip: In modern contexts, 'mentally ill' or 'unwell' is often preferred in clinical settings, as 'disturbed' can carry a judgmental tone.

### 3. moved or touched

adjective · CEFR B2

having been moved, changed, or touched by someone.

For teachers: having had its natural or original state interrupted or altered by an external force.

- The police noticed that the soil in the garden had been disturbed.
- The archaeologists were disappointed to find that the burial site had been disturbed by looters centuries earlier, leaving few artifacts intact.

## Examples

- I am sorry to have disturbed you during your lunch.
- The sign on the hotel door asked the cleaning staff not to disturb the guests before noon.
- Archaeologists were careful not to disturb the delicate artifacts while clearing the surrounding debris from the burial chamber floor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.