rippled; rippling
ˈri-p(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to become lightly ruffled or covered with small waves
b
: to flow in small waves
c
: to fall in soft undulating folds
the scarf rippled to the floor
2
: to flow with a light rise and fall of sound or inflection
laughter rippled over the audience
3
: to move with an undulating motion or so as to cause ripples
the canoe rippled through the water
4
: to have or produce a ripple effect : spread
the news rippled outwards
1
: to stir up small waves on
2
: to impart a wavy motion or appearance to
rippling his arm muscles
3
: to utter or play with a slight rise and fall of sound
1
a
: a shallow stretch of rough water in a stream
b(1)
: the ruffling of the surface of water
(2)
: a small wave
2
a
b
: a sound like that of rippling water
a ripple of laughter
c
: a usually slight noticeable effect or reaction
Synonyms
Examples of ripple in a Sentence
Verb
Water rippled under the dock.
We could see the lion's muscles ripple.
A cool breeze rippled the water.
Noun
The pebble made ripples in the pond when I threw it in.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
The storms forced schools, offices, and businesses to close, transformed the tarmac of Dubai’s international airport into a rippling sea, and killed more than 20 people across both nations.
—Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2024
Half its body is covered in rippling white stripes that can melt into its dim surroundings under the right lighting, while the rest of it is covered in dark, purplish fur, oily enough that water slides right off it.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
But if successful, the lawsuit could ripple across Apple’s products and services.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
Biden’s alternatively cozy and combative relationship with America’s business leaders has rippled through the national economy, federal policy and now the 2024 election.
—Eric Lipton, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Museum specimens also contain stark evidence of the ways that ecosystem changes ripple outward.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
The success on the ice has rippled through the organization and the downtown area.
—Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024
The fracking boom rippled throughout local economies and minted a new species of billionaire.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 11 Mar. 2024
Charlie Wood, WIRED, 28 Apr. 2024
This blend of heartfelt comedy and high-stakes depth ripples throughout the pages of romantic fiction, which has exploded in popularity over the past few years.
—Erin Carlson, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
Other scientists think that chaotic terrains form after ripples from an asteroid impact encircle the planet and meet on the opposite side of the globe.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
Finely grated carrot ripples throughout the salad, providing refreshing moisture and sweetness.
—Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
The layered, wavy effect dually fits the bill, channelling ripples in still water and the futuristic preservation efforts.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Apr. 2024
The store closures and price cap jump denotes not only a shift in the company’s growth strategy, but also the strong ripples of inflation.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 8 Apr. 2024
The latest ripple from those changes could be a reversal of the gender pay gap.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
These include the ripples of electrical activity from the hippocampus that probably reflect replay—and which coincide with the troughs of sleep spindles originating in the thalamus.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
Servers whiz by, dropping off plates in waves: what’s-not-to-like hunks of chicken karaage fried in rippling batter, smoky lamb chops, precisely triangular oshizushi crowned with mackerel, a warming finish of chazuke (rice in dashi) flecked with king salmon.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
The storms forced schools, offices, and businesses to close, transformed the tarmac of Dubai’s international airport into a rippling sea, and killed more than 20 people across both nations.
—Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2024
Half its body is covered in rippling white stripes that can melt into its dim surroundings under the right lighting, while the rest of it is covered in dark, purplish fur, oily enough that water slides right off it.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
But if successful, the lawsuit could ripple across Apple’s products and services.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
Biden’s alternatively cozy and combative relationship with America’s business leaders has rippled through the national economy, federal policy and now the 2024 election.
—Eric Lipton, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Museum specimens also contain stark evidence of the ways that ecosystem changes ripple outward.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
The success on the ice has rippled through the organization and the downtown area.
—Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024
The fracking boom rippled throughout local economies and minted a new species of billionaire.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 11 Mar. 2024
Noun
Gravity pulled the matter inward while light pushed it outward, and the struggle set off density ripples spreading outward from a smattering of initial dense spots in the soup.
—Charlie Wood, WIRED, 28 Apr. 2024
This blend of heartfelt comedy and high-stakes depth ripples throughout the pages of romantic fiction, which has exploded in popularity over the past few years.
—Erin Carlson, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
Other scientists think that chaotic terrains form after ripples from an asteroid impact encircle the planet and meet on the opposite side of the globe.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
Finely grated carrot ripples throughout the salad, providing refreshing moisture and sweetness.
—Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
The layered, wavy effect dually fits the bill, channelling ripples in still water and the futuristic preservation efforts.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Apr. 2024
The store closures and price cap jump denotes not only a shift in the company’s growth strategy, but also the strong ripples of inflation.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 8 Apr. 2024
The latest ripple from those changes could be a reversal of the gender pay gap.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
These include the ripples of electrical activity from the hippocampus that probably reflect replay—and which coincide with the troughs of sleep spindles originating in the thalamus.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ripple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ripple
Cite this Entry
“Ripple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripple. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ripple
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the disturbing of the surface of water
b
: a small wave or a mark like a small wave
2
: a sound like that of rippling water
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