rumbling

noun

rum·​bling ˈrəm-b(ə-)liŋ 

1

: rumble

2

: general but unofficial talk or opinion often of dissatisfaction

—usually used in plural

… rumblings of political trouble …

—Anthony Burgess

Examples of rumbling in a Sentence

There were rumblings about rising prices.

Recent Examples on the Web

While rumblings of discontent had long swirled around Starmer’s leadership within Labour following a string of missteps, unpopular policy decisions and costly U-turns, the local elections in early May crystallized the rebellion. —Joe Mayes, Fortune, 22 June 2026

Amid various reports and online rumblings of entire studio closures, Xbox has not officially commented on the matter. —Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 2026

There have been some media rumblings that the Denver Nuggets may be open to discussing possible trade offers for former Kansas standout Christian Braun, who has played four seasons — including a championship campaign in 2022-23 — with the NBA team. —Gary Bedore june 18, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026

In retrospect, the Greenland crisis carried the early rumblings of a new American rampage through international affairs, a campaign of imperial displays across three continents that culminated with the war in Iran. —Joshua Hunt, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rumbling

• bumbling
• crumbling
• fumbling
• grumbling
• humbling
• mumbling
• stumbling
• tumbling