rampage

1 of 2

verb

ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj 

(ˌ)ram-ˈpāj

rampaged; rampaging

intransitive verb

: to rush wildly about

rampage

2 of 2

noun

ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj 

: a course of violent, riotous, or reckless action or behavior

rampageous

ram-ˈpā-jəs 

adjective

rampageously adverb

rampageousness noun

Synonyms of rampage

Noun

• frenzy

Examples of rampage in a Sentence

Verb

Rioters rampaged through the streets of the city.

Noun

some crazy guy went on a rampage in the public library and started grabbing books off the shelves and tossing them around

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Laffont’s pictures helped circulate abroad the idea that the United States was not simply a rampaging corporate and imperial power—that there was not just another America, but an ever-expanding crowd of other Americas. — Lucy Sante, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Last year was Rodrigo’s festival era, rampaging around the world with her lethal all-female band. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026

Noun

And, of course, there won’t be many people who want to defend someone in that position — or, indeed, listen to any hard-luck stories — now the details have been outlined in court about his motorway rampage. — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

The Indians continued their rampage on Thursday night, putting up 41 more points in Week 3 as the Indians came away with a 41-27 win over McKinney Boyd in front of a homecoming crowd at Keller ISD Stadium. — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

originally Scots, probably an extension of ramp "to rage, storm about" (going back to early Scots and Middle English, "to rear up on the hind legs"), with a termination of uncertain origin — more at ramp entry 4

Note: The Scottish National Dictionary regards rampage as a blend of ramp "to rage, storm about" and rage (see rage entry 2); the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue, on the other hand, hypothesizes "perhaps ramp [the verb] + -age [the suffix -age]. As the Oxford English Dictionary, third edition, points out, the original place of stress (and concomitantly the pronunciation) are unknown.

Noun

noun derivative of rampage entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1692, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rampage

• assuage
• backstage
• bocage
• downstage
• engage
• enrage
• leafage
• messuage
• offstage
• onstage
• outrage
• pelage

Kids Definition

rampage

1 of 2 verb

ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj 

(ˈ)ram-ˈpāj

rampaged; rampaging

: to rush wildly about

rampage

2 of 2 noun

ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj 

: a course of violent or reckless action or behavior

rampageous

ram-ˈpā-jəs 

adjective

rampageously adverb