French word

perturber

Pronunciation

IPA/pɛʁtyʁbe/

Meaning

  • verbupset

Example

Ta remarque me perturbe beaucoup.

Your remark upsets me a lot.

Illustration for perturber (upset)

More examples

Le bruit a perturbé mon sommeil.

The noise disrupted my sleep.

Core concept

A calm mind thrown off balance, so worry and inner disorder interrupt normal judgment and peace.

Common phrases

  • perturber la concentration

    disrupt concentration

  • perturber le sommeil

    disturb sleep

Similar words

troubler: To disturb someone's thoughts, causing confusion or unease.
déranger: To physically obstruct work or interfere with movement.
inquiéter: To make someone worried and unable to feel at ease.
bouleverser: To deeply upset someone through shock or grief, profoundly changing their emotional state or life.

Definition in French

Mettre quelqu'un dans un état d'inquiétude ou de désordre intérieur qui gêne sa tranquillité.

Word origin

Perturber comes from Latin perturbare, formed with per- and turbare, and French extended its sense of throwing into disorder to emotional disturbance.

Usage tips

  • Perturber takes a direct object, as in perturber quelqu'un, so the affected person appears without a preposition, often as a pronoun such as me.

Other meanings

  • disturbverb
  • disruptverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word