How to pronounce disturb
Say it like dih-STURB. Disturb has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STURB).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce disturb. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- STURB
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Disturb pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- STURBSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of disturb
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: dih-STURB.
What does disturb mean?
- move deeply“This book upset me”“A troubling thought”
- change the arrangement or position of
- tamper with“Don't touch my CDs!”
Where does disturb come from?
From Middle English destourben, from Anglo-Norman distourber and Old French destorber, from Latin disturbare, intensifying for turbare (“to throw into disorder”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)twerH-, *(s)turH- (“to rotate, swirl,
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with disturb
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of disturb.
Questions about saying disturb
How do you pronounce disturb?
Say dih-STURB. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈstɝb/. In British English it is /dɪˈstɜːb/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in disturb?
Disturb has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STURB). Broken into parts: dih · STURB.
Is disturb pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /dɪˈstɜːb/ (dih-STURB).