undisturbed

undisturbed — adjective

1. staying exactly as it was before, with nothing moved, added, or removed from it

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

staying exactly as it was before, with nothing moved, added, or removed from it

Example

The old library has remained completely undisturbed since it closed in 1985.

remain + undisturbed for describing unchanged state

Wei found the abandoned farmhouse undisturbed, with dishes still on the table.

Common collocations
  • remain undisturbed
  • lie undisturbed
  • leave something undisturbed
  • keep something undisturbed
Synonyms
  • untouched

    emphasises that nothing has physically made contact

  • unspoiled

    suggests a positive sense of retained beauty or purity

  • intact

    focuses on completeness, often after potential damage

Antonyms
  • disturbed

    the direct opposite; moved or altered from its original state

  • altered

    changed in form or appearance

Grammar Patterns

remain + undisturbed

leave + noun + undisturbed

lay + undisturbed

Common Mistakes

The room was undisturbed from anyone.
The room was undisturbed by anyone.
Use 'by' (not 'from') to indicate the agent that might have disturbed it.
The police kept the area undisturbedly.
The police kept the area undisturbed.
'Undisturbed' is an adjective, not an adverb. Use 'undisturbed' after verbs like 'keep' or 'leave'.

2. continuing an activity peacefully and without anyone stopping you or asking for

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

continuing an activity peacefully and without anyone stopping you or asking for your attention

Example

Layla sat in the back corner and studied undisturbed for two full hours.

verb of activity + undisturbed for uninterrupted duration

The night-shift nurse worked undisturbed until the morning team arrived.

Common collocations
  • work undisturbed
  • study undisturbed
  • sleep undisturbed
  • play undisturbed
  • practise undisturbed
Synonyms
  • uninterrupted

    more neutral; focuses on the continuity of the activity itself

  • unbothered

    less formal; suggests someone is not troubled by interruptions

Antonyms
  • interrupted

    stopped or broken in the middle of an activity

  • disturbed

    general term; includes being stopped or bothered

Grammar Patterns

verb + undisturbed (adverbial use after verb of activity)

Usage Note

Common after verbs of activity such as 'work', 'study', 'play', 'sleep', 'practise'. Often used with 'by' to name the potential interruption: 'undisturbed by phone calls / visitors / noise'.

Common Mistakes

He studied undisturbedly for hours.
He studied undisturbed for hours.
'Undisturbed' is an adjective used predicatively, not an adverb.

3. not feeling worried, upset, or affected by something, even when the situation is

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

not feeling worried, upset, or affected by something, even when the situation is difficult or unpleasant

Example

Élise seemed completely undisturbed by the criticism from her manager.

seemed/remained + undisturbed by + trigger

The team remained undisturbed by the technical problems and finished the project on time.

Common collocations
  • undisturbed by criticism
  • undisturbed by noise
  • remain undisturbed by
  • seem undisturbed by
Synonyms
  • unperturbed

    very similar; slightly more formal and literary

  • unfazed

    more informal and common in everyday speech

  • composed

    emphasises self-control rather than absence of worry

Antonyms
  • troubled

    feeling worry or anxiety about something

  • upset

    emotionally disturbed or distressed

  • shaken

    strongly affected, often by a sudden event

Grammar Patterns

be + undisturbed + by + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'by' to name the cause of potential worry. Often appears with verbs of emotional state such as 'seem', 'remain', 'appear'. This sense is more common in formal or written English than in casual conversation.

Common Mistakes

She was undisturbed from the bad news.
She was undisturbed by the bad news.
Use 'by' (not 'from') to indicate what might have upset her.
He was undisturbed about the exam results.
He was undisturbed by the exam results.
The trigger of potential worry takes 'by', not 'about'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that has not been altered, but they differ subtly. 'Untouched' (B2) emphasises that nothing has physically contacted or affected the object — a room 'untouched since 1950' suggests no one has entered it. 'Unspoiled' (B2) carries a positive judgment, often used for natural landscapes or positive qualities that remain pure: 'an unspoiled beach'. 'Intact' (B2) focuses on completeness after a possible threat — a building remains 'intact' after an earthquake, meaning no parts are missing. 'Undisturbed' (B2) is the broadest of the four: it can mean untouched (sense 1), uninterrupted (sense 2), or emotionally unfazed (sense 3). For physical objects, 'undisturbed' implies a lack of interference rather than a lack of contact — cushions may be 'undisturbed' even if someone brushed past them. Example: 'The police found the crime scene untouched, the documents undisturbed in the drawer, and the glass intact on the shelf.'

untouched ↗unspoiled ↗intact ↗undisturbed ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • leave undisturbed
  • remain undisturbed
  • keep undisturbed
  • lie undisturbed
  • stand undisturbed

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English by adding the negative prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') to the past participle 'disturbed', which comes from Latin 'disturbare' ('to throw into disorder'). The Latin root combines 'dis-' (apart) and 'turbare' (to confuse or agitate, from 'turba' meaning 'crowd' or 'turmoil'). The word has been used in English since the 1500s, originally describing physical peace and later extending to emotional calm.