rumble

1 of 2

verb

rum·​ble ˈrəm-bəl How to pronounce rumble (audio)
rumbled; rumbling ˈrəm-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce rumble (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to make a low heavy rolling sound
thunder rumbling in the distance
2
: to travel with a low reverberating sound
wagons rumbled into town
3
: to speak in a low rolling tone
4
: to engage in a rumble

transitive verb

1
: to utter or emit in a low rolling voice
2
British : to reveal or discover the true character of
rumbler noun

rumble

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a low heavy continuous reverberating often muffled sound (as of thunder)
b
: low frequency noise in phonographic playback caused by the transmission of mechanical vibrations by the turntable to the pickup
2
: a seat for servants behind the body of a carriage
3
a
: widespread expression of dissatisfaction or unrest
b
: a street fight especially among gangs

Examples of rumble in a Sentence

Verb Thunder rumbled in the distance. The train rumbles through town twice a day. We watched as the trucks rumbled past. The gangs rumbled in the alley. Noun I was awakened by the rumble of a train passing by.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Aside from lights, your teen will appreciate the advanced features including three-way trigger locks and rumble motors to bring the game to life. Casey Clark, Parents, 17 Nov. 2023 The latest entry of the American series, Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), drops the association entirely in favor of comic book rumbles, with a fisticuffs-rich sequel planned. Asher Elbein, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023 But the demolition controversy continued to rumble through the courts. TIME, 11 Oct. 2023 While Williams and the passing game were largely inconsistent, Lloyd was a steadying force, rumbling downhill with reckless abandon. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2023 Target is ready to rumble and give Amazon’s October version of Prime Day — Prime Big Deal Days — a run for its money with its upcoming Circle Week sale. Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023 Gustavo Varela, Greater Lawrence — The sophomore rumbled for 132 yards and a trio of touchdowns on 14 carries for the Reggies in a 49-18 nonconference win over Hamilton-Wenham. Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2023 Every so often — usually once a day — a freight train rolls off a barge at Sunset Park and rumbles along the bottom of the weedy trench, headed north. Curbed, 13 Sep. 2023 Sony's Gamescom press conference in Cologne Germany is still a few hours away, but big announcements aren't made without large amounts of rumbling across the gaming press and retail sources. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 7 Nov. 2023
Noun
Low-frequency rumbles, such as aircraft engines, are significantly reduced, and even midrange frequencies are diminished to a surprising degree (though no noise-canceling headphones can fully silence voices, babies crying and other higher-frequency sounds). Geoffrey Morrison, wsj.com, 2 Nov. 2023 The singer, who has taken in Siriano's show from the front row before, arrived fashionably late surrounded by hulking bodyguards who escorted her to her seat amid a rumble of excitement from attendees. Anika Reed usa Today, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2023 An afternoon rumble of thunder may accompany a downpour or two. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023 The rumble of a mixing truck can be heard through the tent’s thin fabric, while a large group of ants hopes for a snack to fall to the ground on a nearby sidewalk. Diego Nicolás Argüello, Pitchfork, 2 Nov. 2023 Possessing a lower frequency to white noise and with a neutral, more organic feel, brown noise sounds similar to the steady fall of rain, or the low rumble of thunder. Georgia Day, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2023 The quietly ominous rumble at the start of Tesori’s score gives way to a chorus of fliers whose stentorian march morphs into a neo-Baroque fugue. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2023 Any rumbles of thunder are most likely in eastern Massachusetts, including Boston. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 20 Oct. 2023 Then, a rumble of ominous thunder takes the pair in different directions – Bluey into playtime, and Chilli into a rush to yank the clothes off the line. Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rumble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English; akin to Middle High German rummeln to rumble

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rumble was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near rumble

Cite this Entry

“Rumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rumble. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

rumble

1 of 2 verb
rum·​ble ˈrəm-bəl How to pronounce rumble (audio)
rumbled; rumbling -b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce rumble (audio)
: to make or move with a low heavy rolling sound
thunder rumbled in the distance

rumble

2 of 2 noun
: a low heavy rolling sound

More from Merriam-Webster on rumble

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