disrupted; disrupting; disrupts
1
2
a
: to interrupt the normal course or unity of
… disrupted a bridge game by permanently hiding up the ace of spades …—
Scott Fitzgerald
Scott Fitzgerald
b
business
: to cause upheaval in (an industry, market, etc.)
The banking industry, on the other hand, is being disrupted by a breakdown of the model of paying money on deposits and taking interest on loans.—Cromwell Schubarth
Cromwell Schubarth
specifically
: to successfully challenge (established businesses, products, or services) by using an innovation (such as a new technology or business model) to gain a foothold in a marginal or new segment of the market and then fundamentally changing the nature of the market
In contrast, the digital technologies that allowed personal computers to disrupt minicomputers improved much more quickly; Compaq was able to increase revenue more than tenfold and reach parity with the industry leader, DEC, in only 12 years. —Clayton M. Christensen et al.
Clayton M. Christensen et al. … this innovative service that might disrupt the industry comes at the low end of the product/service/technology, a place where these high-end consumers have neither interest nor experience. This low-end attack, which initially does not attract much attention, might grow to be a high quality service that supplants the incumbent. —Eitan Muller
Eitan Muller
disrupter
noun
or less commonly disruptor
Synonyms
Examples of disrupt in a Sentence
The barking dogs disrupted my sleep.
The weather disrupted our travel plans.
a chemical that disrupts cell function
Recent Examples on the Web
In this gentle novel, an elderly widow finds her solitary routine disrupted by a mouse, setting off a sequence of events that reconnects with the larger world.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
Plans to position it as an awards-season contender were disrupted when Italy snubbed Oscar-winner Sorrentino and chose Maura Delpero’s Venice Silver Lion winner Vermiglio as its entry for best international feature.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Focus on unlikely but possible events that could massively disrupt the market.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
That's up 5 percentage points from 2021 when the pandemic disrupted almost all facets of American life — volunteer work included.
—Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disrupt 
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Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
Plans to position it as an awards-season contender were disrupted when Italy snubbed Oscar-winner Sorrentino and chose Maura Delpero’s Venice Silver Lion winner Vermiglio as its entry for best international feature.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Focus on unlikely but possible events that could massively disrupt the market.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
That's up 5 percentage points from 2021 when the pandemic disrupted almost all facets of American life — volunteer work included.
—Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disrupt
Articles Related to disrupt
Dictionary Entries Near disrupt
Cite this Entry
“Disrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disrupt. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disrupt
verb
dis·rupt
dis-ˈrəpt 
: to throw into disorder
disrupted the class
disrupter
noun
disruptively
adverb
disruptiveness
noun
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