rippled; rippling
ˈri-p(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to become lightly ruffled or covered with small waves
b
: to flow in small waves
c
: to fall in soft undulating folds
the scarf rippled to the floor
2
: to flow with a light rise and fall of sound or inflection
laughter rippled over the audience
3
: to move with an undulating motion or so as to cause ripples
the canoe rippled through the water
4
: to have or produce a ripple effect : spread
the news rippled outwards
1
: to stir up small waves on
2
: to impart a wavy motion or appearance to
rippling his arm muscles
3
: to utter or play with a slight rise and fall of sound
1
a
: a shallow stretch of rough water in a stream
b(1)
: the ruffling of the surface of water
(2)
: a small wave
2
a
b
: a sound like that of rippling water
a ripple of laughter
c
: a usually slight noticeable effect or reaction
Synonyms
Examples of ripple in a Sentence
Verb
Water rippled under the dock.
We could see the lion's muscles ripple.
A cool breeze rippled the water.
Noun
The pebble made ripples in the pond when I threw it in.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Lipton, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Museum specimens also contain stark evidence of the ways that ecosystem changes ripple outward.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
The success on the ice has rippled through the organization and the downtown area.
—Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024
The fracking boom rippled throughout local economies and minted a new species of billionaire.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 11 Mar. 2024
The light reflected off the rippling surface of the water, casting undulating lines onto a tree that arched over the pool.
—Mya Guarnieri, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
With no surplus of starlight to support it, the star’s outer layers fall inward to the core and then rebound to explode outward, sending shockwaves rippling through the surrounding material.
—Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024
Baltimore is the ninth busiest port in the US for international trade, meaning the effects of the crash will ripple across the regional, US, and even global economy for however long the 47-year-old bridge takes to fix—a timeline, experts say, that’s still unclear.
—Aarian Marshall Matt Simon, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024
The artist decorated the rippling glass of a high, arched window between two galleries in the Jacobs building with nearly imperceptible webs of shimmering gold leaf, which reflects the light passing through.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Jasmine Browley, Essence, 8 Apr. 2024
The latest ripple from those changes could be a reversal of the gender pay gap.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
These include the ripples of electrical activity from the hippocampus that probably reflect replay—and which coincide with the troughs of sleep spindles originating in the thalamus.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024
In the middle ear, the spot inside the eardrum that turns vibrations in the air into ripples in the inner ear’s fluids has three bones.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 Apr. 2024
Now consider the economic ripples of the collision itself.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 31 Mar. 2024
And on the ripples kept extending, including directly from Stratton to Renfroe, college teammates at Mississippi State.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024
Jess's life plan creates some ripples in her relationship with Palmer.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2024
Photons are ripples in the electromagnetic field, which can be described by a single arrow, or vector, at each location in space indicating the field’s value and direction.
—Quanta Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024
Verb
Biden’s alternatively cozy and combative relationship with America’s business leaders has rippled through the national economy, federal policy and now the 2024 election.
—Eric Lipton, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Museum specimens also contain stark evidence of the ways that ecosystem changes ripple outward.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
The success on the ice has rippled through the organization and the downtown area.
—Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024
The fracking boom rippled throughout local economies and minted a new species of billionaire.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 11 Mar. 2024
The light reflected off the rippling surface of the water, casting undulating lines onto a tree that arched over the pool.
—Mya Guarnieri, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
With no surplus of starlight to support it, the star’s outer layers fall inward to the core and then rebound to explode outward, sending shockwaves rippling through the surrounding material.
—Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024
Baltimore is the ninth busiest port in the US for international trade, meaning the effects of the crash will ripple across the regional, US, and even global economy for however long the 47-year-old bridge takes to fix—a timeline, experts say, that’s still unclear.
—Aarian Marshall Matt Simon, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024
The artist decorated the rippling glass of a high, arched window between two galleries in the Jacobs building with nearly imperceptible webs of shimmering gold leaf, which reflects the light passing through.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Noun
The store closures and price cap jump denotes not only a shift in the company’s growth strategy, but also the strong ripples of inflation.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 8 Apr. 2024
The latest ripple from those changes could be a reversal of the gender pay gap.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
These include the ripples of electrical activity from the hippocampus that probably reflect replay—and which coincide with the troughs of sleep spindles originating in the thalamus.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024
In the middle ear, the spot inside the eardrum that turns vibrations in the air into ripples in the inner ear’s fluids has three bones.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 Apr. 2024
Now consider the economic ripples of the collision itself.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 31 Mar. 2024
And on the ripples kept extending, including directly from Stratton to Renfroe, college teammates at Mississippi State.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024
Jess's life plan creates some ripples in her relationship with Palmer.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2024
Photons are ripples in the electromagnetic field, which can be described by a single arrow, or vector, at each location in space indicating the field’s value and direction.
—Quanta Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ripple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
Verb
circa 1671, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing ripple
Dictionary Entries Near ripple
Cite this Entry
“Ripple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripple. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
ripple
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the disturbing of the surface of water
b
: a small wave or a mark like a small wave
2
: a sound like that of rippling water
More from Merriam-Webster on ripple
Nglish: Translation of ripple for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ripple for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ripple
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