brief disturbance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "brief disturbance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a short or temporary interruption or disruption in a situation or environment. Example: "The meeting was interrupted by a brief disturbance caused by construction noise outside."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The only evidence that he hit her is a brief disturbance within the herd.

BBC

After being established by what might be only a brief disturbance, the synchronized flow could last hours.

Science Magazine

Instead, Montgomery said Slager "had a brief disturbance in reason so based on the law, that would be classified as... voluntary manslaughter".

Huffington Post

Her presence caused a brief disturbance in court after DeGuerin asked the judge to dismiss Pirro, a Fox News Channel host, from the courtroom because he planned to call her as a potential witness in the case.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

As shown in Fig. 15 b, at a brief external disturbance the OFLL stabilizes in 12 μs for ζ= 0.7.

Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications

As the input of the system is an unit impulse the stabilization can be thought of as the response to a brief external disturbance.

Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications

In addition, many energy storage technologies are inherently DC-based and can increase both reliability and power quality in the event of brief supply disturbances.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Most brief but violent disturbances in Earth's wind systems involve large areas of ascending and descending air.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This paper provides a brief overview of disturbance-recovery processes at landscape level, and how pioneer stands of both native and introduced tree species develop from monocultures to diverse mature forest communities.

Forest Ecosystems

Patients may not actively seek help or disclose any symptoms suggestive of a mood disorder, and the time available for the primary care consultation is often brief and mood disturbances may be missed [ 23].

BMC Family Practice

These symptoms may be generally described as brief hallucinations, paroxysmal somatic disturbances, automatisms, and dissociative disturbances.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "brief disturbance" to describe situations where something temporarily disrupts the normal flow or state, without causing lasting or significant impact. It's suitable when you want to downplay the severity of the interruption.

Common error

Avoid using "brief disturbance" when describing events that have significant or lasting consequences. Reserve it for truly temporary and minor disruptions to maintain accuracy and avoid misleading your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "brief disturbance" typically functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It describes an event characterized by its short duration and disruptive nature, as demonstrated by the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

37%

Encyclopedias

23%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "brief disturbance" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe short, temporary interruptions. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability in written English. It is most commonly found in news, media, and science, serving to neutrally describe minor disruptions without emphasizing significant impact. While not extremely frequent, it's a useful term for downplaying the severity of an interruption. Alternatives include "short disruption" and "minor interruption". When using this phrase, ensure the described event is truly temporary and minor.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

short disruption

Focuses on the disruptive nature while emphasizing brevity.

short-lived interruption

Directly conveys the combined sense of brevity and interruption.

minor interruption

Highlights the minor nature of the event, indicating it is not significant.

fleeting disruption

Emphasizes the temporary and quickly passing nature of the disruption.

quick interruption

Replaces 'brief' with 'quick' to emphasize speed.

momentary disruption

Similar to 'fleeting', but more explicitly highlights the very short duration.

temporary upset

Shifts the focus to the feeling of being unsettled, while keeping the short duration.

passing disruption

Emphasizes that the disturbance is transient and will soon be over.

slight commotion

Emphasizes a noisier and agitated interruption, but still relatively minor and short.

minor perturbation

Uses a more formal and technical term for a slight disturbance.

FAQs

How can I use "brief disturbance" in a sentence?

You can use "brief disturbance" to describe a short interruption or disruption. For instance, "The lecture experienced a "brief disturbance" due to a technical glitch."

What are some alternatives to "brief disturbance"?

Alternatives include "short disruption", "minor interruption", or "fleeting upset". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey. Consider using "short disruption" if you want to emphasize the temporary nature of disruption or "minor interruption" if it's not significant.

Is it appropriate to use "brief disturbance" in formal writing?

Yes, "brief disturbance" is suitable for formal writing, especially when describing minor and temporary interruptions in a neutral tone. Ludwig AI analysis confirms this.

What kind of events does "brief disturbance" best describe?

"Brief disturbance" works best for describing events that are short in duration and do not cause significant long-term effects. Examples could include a momentary power outage or a small, quickly resolved argument.