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Interfere vs Disturb - What's the difference?

interfere | disturb |

In intransitive terms the difference between interfere and disturb

is that interfere is to get involved or involve oneself, causing disturbance while disturb is to have a negative emotional impact; to cause emotional distress or confusion.

As a noun disturb is

disturbance.

interfere

English

Alternative forms

* enterfere (obsolete)

Verb

(interfer)
  • To get involved or involve oneself, causing disturbance.
  • I always try not to interfere with other people’s personal affairs.
  • (physics) (of waves) To be correlated with each other when overlapped]] or [[superpose, superposed.
  • Correlated waves interfere''' to produce interesting patterns, while uncorrelated waves overlap without '''interfering .
    Where the radio-wave signals of the two radio stations interfere the listener hears nothing but noise.
  • (mostly of horses) To strike one foot against the opposite foot or ankle in using the legs.
  • Derived terms

    * interference

    See also

    * busy body * interferometry

    disturb

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to confuse a quiet, constant state or a calm, continuous flow, in particular: thoughts, actions or liquids.
  • The noisy ventilation disturbed me during the exam.
    The performance was disturbed twice by a ringing mobile phone.
    A school of fish disturbed the water.
  • to divert, redirect, or alter by disturbing.
  • A mudslide disturbed the course of the river.
    The trauma disturbed his mind.
  • * Milton
  • disturb his inmost counsels from their destined aim
  • to have a negative emotional impact; to cause emotional distress or confusion.
  • A disturbing film that tries to explore the mind of a serial killer.
    His behaviour is very disturbing .

    Derived terms

    * disturbance

    Noun

  • (obsolete) disturbance
  • (Milton)