rumbled; rumbling
ˈrəm-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to make a low heavy rolling sound or series of sounds
thunder rumbling in the distance
My stomach was rumbling.
2
: to travel with a low reverberating sound
wagons rumbled into town
3
: to speak in a low rolling tone
4
US, informal + old-fashioned
: to fight especially in the street
1
: to utter or emit in a low rolling voice
"That is a sure prophecy," rumbled a deep voice.—
Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling2
British
: to reveal or discover the true character of
… had long ago rumbled her … excuses.—Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith
rum·bler
ˈrəmb(ə)lə(r)
plural -s
: one that rumbles as:
a
b
: an operator of a machine (as a tumbling barrel) that cleans small articles by tumbling them with abrasives or cleaning fluid
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joe Yogerst, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
In Alaska, a streamer sits in front of his screens, face glowing with the colors of Fortnite as his house begins to rumble.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The volcano rumbles at predictable intervals, a low groan like a thunderstorm a few valleys over.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
The spooky, rumbling electronic score by Siriusmo (German EDM producer Moritz Friedrich) really bolsters the atmosphere of whimsy, weirdness and a tender sort of melancholy, a combination that’s uniquely Dupieux-ian and all the director’s own.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rumble
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
With live music and food trucks along the route, the cars will rumble down 11th Street through the Meadow Gold District and past the new Mother Road Market food hall.
—Joe Yogerst, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
In Alaska, a streamer sits in front of his screens, face glowing with the colors of Fortnite as his house begins to rumble.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The volcano rumbles at predictable intervals, a low groan like a thunderstorm a few valleys over.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
The spooky, rumbling electronic score by Siriusmo (German EDM producer Moritz Friedrich) really bolsters the atmosphere of whimsy, weirdness and a tender sort of melancholy, a combination that’s uniquely Dupieux-ian and all the director’s own.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rumble
Cite this Entry
“Rumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rumble. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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