1
a
: lines and chains used aboard a ship especially in working sail and supporting masts and spars
b
: a similar network (as in theater scenery) used for support and manipulation
2
: clothing
Examples of rigging in a Sentence
They checked the rigging before they set sail.
even at the Ivies they dress in the standard rigging of the college student: T-shirt and jeans
Recent Examples on the Web
Credit also goes to the company Flying by Foy, a leading specialist in aerial effects, for the rigging, tracks and winches, and aerial designers Gwyneth Larsen and Billy Mulholland.
—
ABC News, 1 June 2026
With 23 sails, six miles of rigging and roughly 150 Coast Guard trainees on board, life aboard the ship still runs the old-fashioned way.
—Sarah Alegre, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Bid rigging and collusion among contractors can also become an issue.
—Meily Perez, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
As captain of the foretop, Peglar would have been a petty officer responsible for overseeing sailors who maintained the sails and rigging of the ship’s foremast.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rigging
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ABC News, 1 June 2026
With 23 sails, six miles of rigging and roughly 150 Coast Guard trainees on board, life aboard the ship still runs the old-fashioned way.
—Sarah Alegre, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Bid rigging and collusion among contractors can also become an issue.
—Meily Perez, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
As captain of the foretop, Peglar would have been a petty officer responsible for overseeing sailors who maintained the sails and rigging of the ship’s foremast.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rigging
Cite this Entry
“Rigging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rigging. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rigging
noun
rig·ging
ˈrig-iŋ 
-ən
1
: the ropes and chains used aboard a ship especially in working sail and supporting masts and spars
2
: equipment for supporting and working something (as theater scenery)
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