disrupt
to interrupt or throw into disorder
Roots
- dis- / dif-: apart, away, not, reversal, or disruption
- rump / rupt: break, burst, or break apart
Other words with the rump / rupt root
- abrupt: sudden or unexpectedly broken off
- corrupt: dishonest or spoiled by moral damage
- corruption: dishonesty or moral decay in a system
- disruption: break in order or normal flow
- erupt: to burst out suddenly
- eruption: a sudden bursting out
- interrupt: to break into or stop the flow of something
Disrupt is break-apart applied to order: the pattern is broken so things cannot continue smoothly.
The sudden outage disrupted the online exam.
Disrupt is not just change. It is change that breaks the flow. Picture a line of dominoes, a schedule, or a class rhythm getting snapped out of order.