Word

disruption

noun C1

/dɪsˈɹʌpʃən/

Meanings

noun

an interruption that stops something from happening normally

noun

a change or innovation that radically alters how an industry or activity works

Definition

A disruption is an interruption that stops something from continuing normally.

A disruption is an event or action that breaks the usual flow of an activity, system, or situation. It can be temporary, but it often causes delays, confusion, or extra work. Disruptions may be planned (like maintenance) or unexpected (like a power cut).

Examples

The server outage caused major disruption across the company’s internal systems.
She apologized for the disruption when her phone rang during the lecture.
Heavy snow led to widespread disruption on the rail network throughout the morning.
They expected some disruption during the renovation, but the team kept services running.
The startup’s new platform brought disruption to the market by changing customer expectations.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse disruption (the interruption) with disturbance (often a noise or minor annoyance) and use them interchangeably.