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Definition of rabble
1 : a disorganized or confused collection of things
2a : a disorganized or disorderly crowd of people : mobb : the lowest class of people
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Examples of rabble in a Sentence
the crown prince was reminded that even the rabble of the realm deserved his attention and compassion
Recent Examples of rabble from the Web
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Sherven, 49, doesn't come across as a rabble-rouser.
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When the rabble show up with pitchforks and torches, the queen comes to the balcony and quiets them.
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CMO Today’s Suzanne Vranica reports that J.P. Morgan is suspending advertising on NBC news programming until after the network airs anchor Megyn Kelly’s interview with right-wing rabble-rouser Alex Jones on Sunday.
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Ortega, a freshman studying social work, did not expect to become an anti-government rabble-rouser.
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A RABBLE OF DEAD MONEY: The Great Crash and the Global Depression, 1929-1939, by Charles R. Morris.
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The question has always been, Which Trump will win out: the nationalist rabble-rouser or the avatar of global capitalism?
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There wasn’t just the rise of Newt Gingrich, his congressional rabble-rousers and freelance partisanship.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rabble'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Rabble has been with the English language since its appearance in Middle English (as "rabel") in the late 1300s. It may have come from the Middle English verb "rabel" which meant "to babble." (Despite the similarity in sound and meaning, however, "babble" and "rabble" are unrelated.) The verb "rabel" is related to Middle Dutch "rabbelen" and Low German rabbeln, meaning "to chatter." So how do we get from babbling to crowds of people? The connection may be the idea of confusion. "Rabble," in its earliest uses could not only indicate a pack of animals, swarm of insects, or a confused collection of things, but could also indicate a confused or meaningless string of words.
Origin and Etymology of rabble
Middle English rabel pack of animals
rabble
Definition of rabble
rabbled
;rabbling
play \-b(ə-)liŋ\transitive verb
: to insult or assault by or as a mob
First Known Use of rabble
1644
RABBLE Defined for English Language Learners
rabble
playDefinition of rabble for English Language Learners
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: a large group of loud people who could become violent
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the rabble : ordinary or common people who do not have a lot of money, power, or social status
RABBLE Defined for Kids
Learn More about rabble
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See words that rhyme with rabble Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for rabble Spanish Central: Translation of rabble Nglish: Translation of rabble for Spanish speakers
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