TOUSLE Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

tousle

verb

ˈtau̇-zəl

Definition of tousle

as in to disrupt

to undo the proper order or arrangement of his grandfather would always tousle the boy's neatly combed hair

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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 tousle His hair is frosted at the tips, carefully tousled; his eyes are alert, amused, ever-probing. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026 Her signature copper red hair, styled by Halley Brisker, was worn softly tousled down her back. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026 Kardashian, 45, showed off a pair of ice-blue contact lenses and wore her chocolate brown hair tousled across her shoulders. — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026 Whether it was tousled by hand or pulled back in a tortoiseshell headband, Bessette’s length and color followed the same effortless code of her wardrobe, leaving us with enduring hair inspiration even after her untimely passing. — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tousle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousle

Verb

Farage did not give a victory speech after declining to attend the declaration, claiming police had warned of a campaign to disrupt it.

— Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Costs had been on the decline since March 2025, following a massive outbreak of bird flu that disrupted the egg supply and sent retail prices soaring.

— Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of disrupt

Verb

Because tokenized stocks exist alongside stablecoins and other digital assets on the same network, investors can move money between spending, saving, and investing without shuffling it across separate institutions.

— Malana VanTyler, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Lyman and her family stood to leave, and although none of them spoke, the sound of more than 30 mourners shuffling out of a quiet room was enough to halt the court proceedings for a moment.

— Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of shuffle

Verb

Sulfur-rich gases reaching the upper atmosphere could reflect sunlight and temporarily cool the climate, disturbing rainfall and reducing harvests worldwide.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Some people think putting more and more effects is the best way to express ourselves for the audience, and some filmmakers just want to keep the balance without disturbing the original movie.

— Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturb

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“Tousle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousle. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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verb

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