rampage

1 of 2

verb

ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj How to pronounce rampage (audio)
(ˌ)ram-ˈpāj
rampaged; rampaging

intransitive verb

: to rush wildly about

rampage

2 of 2

noun

ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj How to pronounce rampage (audio)
: a course of violent, riotous, or reckless action or behavior
rampageous adjective
rampageously adverb
rampageousness noun

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
But their new life is quickly ruined when someone wearing the Ghostface mask starts rampaging through the Big Apple. Keith Langston, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024 Flooding on some western North Carolina rivers blew past records set in 1916 as extreme rainfall amounts in the last week of September led to a rampaging slush of mud and debris. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2024
Noun
In doing so, the group inadvertently releases hundreds if not thousands of Xenomorphs, who immediately go on the rampage. Tim Lammers, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 What earns The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms its place among the greatest monster movies ever is the contribution of the legendary Ray Harryhausen, whose work on the creature's final act rampage is a masterpiece of practical effects. Katie Rife, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rampage 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of rampage was in 1692

Dictionary Entries Near rampage

Cite this Entry

“Rampage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rampage. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rampage

1 of 2 verb
ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj How to pronounce rampage (audio)
(ˈ)ram-ˈpāj
rampaged; rampaging
: to rush wildly about

rampage

2 of 2 noun
ram·​page ˈram-ˌpāj How to pronounce rampage (audio)
: a course of violent or reckless action or behavior
rampageous adjective
rampageously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on rampage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!