disrupt

views updated May 18 2018

dis·rupt / disˈrəpt/ • v. [tr.] interrupt (an event, activity, or process) by causing a disturbance or problem: a rail strike that could disrupt both passenger and freight service. ∎  drastically alter or destroy the structure of (something): alcohol can disrupt the chromosomes of an unfertilized egg.DERIVATIVES: dis·rupt·er (also dis·rup·tor / -tər/ ) n.dis·rup·tion / -ˈrəpshən/ n.