rumple

verb

Definition of rumplenext
1
as in to crumple
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in the guest rumpled the antique bedspread by lying down on it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wrinkle
to develop creases or folds the linen skirt rumpled as soon as she started wearing it

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of the aunt would invariably rumple the little boy's hair whenever she came to visit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rumple When his teams didn’t entertain, Moe became the show, this cursing, grumbling, rumpled 6-foot-5 firebrand who dressed like a ’70s private detective, a disheveled anti-hero who detested suits. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026 He was rumpled in the summer heat and wearing a collarless white shirt. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026 Outfits that don't look rumpled straight out of my luggage, like my favorite pair of wrinkle-free pants, are a must-have. — Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2025 These comfort-forward essentials are designed to minimize aches, maximize rest and help any traveler arrive feeling more refreshed than rumpled. — Jill Schildhouse, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rumple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumple
  1. crumple
  2. wrinkle
  3. disrupt
  4. scrunch
  5. furrow
  6. shuffle
  7. fold
  8. crease
Verb
  • Onlookers and policemen rushed to the balloon’s basket to find the three men lying crumpled on the ground.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Later, when the water receded, Fulcher and McKay pried open the Trotters’ crumpled trailer.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of crumple
Verb
  • All items arrived clean (professional cleaning is included in your BNTO box subscription) and showed no wear and tear, though they were wrinkled from shipping and needed a good steam before wearing.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The same men worked in the lobby—a little fatter, a little more wrinkled and gray.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrinkle
Verb
  • Sectarian tensions and the disrupting force of the Cold War plunged the Middle Eastern nation into decades of armed conflict, with a chilling effect on daily life.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The team radio can disrupt Antonelli’s concentration, so Wolff told me that the engineers have learned how to use it less often, or with fewer words.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • Sitting at the defendant’s table, Flynn scrunched up his face and appeared to be crying as the 911 call was played aloud.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Sheer tees scrunched and stretched in awkward ways at Brandon Maxwell.
    — Alison Syrett Cleary, InStyle, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of scrunch
Verb
  • My mom’s siblings usually arrived in a sour mood without greeting anyone at the table, my aunt’s brow furrowed and my uncle wearing a sneaky smirk.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The stranger watched it with deathly seriousness, forehead furrowed as if thinking through some impossible problem.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of furrow
Verb
  • It’s been more than a year since Ozzy Osbourne shuffled off this mortal coil.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Current traded away some assets while shuffling stars like Michelle Cooper, Temwa Chawinga and Lorena in and out of the lineup.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • Deadline hears that the BBC has held tentative discussions about whether Sounds could be folded in with iPlayer to create a single streaming service for video and audio, not unlike Netflix and YouTube.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The headphones are more flexible than ever, too—just fold them up to pack them away for a trip.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fold
Verb
  • Roll magazines and tuck them inside your boots to prevent the boot shaft from being creased or collapsing during storage.
    — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The formula is designed to deliver up to 16 hours of wear without primer and is resistant to creasing, caking, fading and smudging.
    — Brittany Talarico, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of crease

Browse Nearby Words

rump
rumple
rumpled
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Cite this Entry

“Rumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumple. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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