Words / B2

dis-RUPSHUN/dɪsˈrʌpʃn/

Disruption is a break in normal activity: travel disruption; disruption to lessons. Disrupt is already in the dictionary. Interruption is often shorter; chaos is looser. In business speak, disruption can mean upsetting a market with a new model — define it. UK rail: disruption expected. Do not celebrate “disruption” in a public-service essay without saying who loses.

Meaning

A situation in which something cannot continue in the normal way.

Examples

• “Signal failure caused disruption across the commuter network.”
• “The tech firm’s so-called disruption of taxis left drivers without sick pay, which is the critical business sense.”

Good to know

disruption to + noun; travel disruption. Verb: disrupt. Shorter: interruption. Business buzzword: market disruption (define).

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