rummage

verb

rum·mage | \ ˈrə-mij

rummaged; rummaging

Definition of rummage

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to make a thorough search or investigation

2 : to engage in an undirected or haphazard search

transitive verb

1 : to make a thorough search through : ransack rummaged the attic

2 : to examine minutely and completely

3 : to discover by searching

rummage

noun

Definition of rummage (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a confused miscellaneous collection

b : items for sale at a rummage sale

2 : a thorough search especially among a confusion of objects

Other Words from rummage Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about rummage

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Examples of rummage in a Sentence

Verb

He rummaged through the attic for his baseball card collection. He rummaged in his pocket for the receipt. I heard you rummaging around in the refrigerator.

Noun

a rummage of textbooks, notebooks, and old school papers all over the desk

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Dikk has found many of these gems by rummaging through piles of thrift store books. — Kate Bennis, Good Housekeeping, "Watch This Instagrammer Test Some Seriously Bizarre Retro Recipes," 12 Dec. 2018 After rummaging through his medicine cabinet, including his favorite anti-aging serum and Shiseido sunscreeen, Oquendo shows Rosenstein his rooftop where most of his Instagram photo magic happens. — Harper's Bazaar Staff, Harper's BAZAAR, "Go Inside Celebrity Makeup Artist Vincent Oquendo's Dreamy Beauty Stash," 23 Oct. 2018 Over the last five years, online sellers like Grailed, Poshmark, Depop, and TheRealReal have created a seamless way for shoppers to buy used and vintage clothing without having to rummage through racks and racks of clothing at second-hand shops. — Alyssa Hardy, Teen Vogue, "In The Future We’ll All Probably Be Wearing Used Clothing," 20 Mar. 2019 Once the Christmas branch was up and running, the next step in right-sizing my holiday was to rummage through The Box and edit my hoard of lights, ornaments, decorations and ephemera. — Al Kemp, The Seattle Times, "How I came to grips with a downsized Christmas," 12 Dec. 2018 Should the Chicago police be allowed to rummage through the medical records of all young black man to look for the one with a limp who killed two people in the fall of 2018? — WSJ, "The Dangers of ‘Anonymized’ Medical Data," 5 Dec. 2018 Auditors travelled to Nevada, rummaged through his garbage, conscripted his estranged family to testify against him, and leaked his Social Security number and other private information to the press. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A California-Nevada Tax Brawl," 8 Jan. 2019 In a video that was also taken of the bear, it can be seen slowly moving through the terrain, rummaging through an empty can. — Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, "Photographer behind viral image of starving polar bear raises questions about climate change narrative," 27 July 2018 When the deadline passed, video surfaced of Pittsburgh players rummaging through his former locker to collect gear. — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, "Le’Veon Bell and the Diminishing Value of Running Backs in the NFL," 16 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Good Shepherd's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1235 S. 100th St., West Allis, is hosting a neighborhood rummage from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 9. — Hannah Kirby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Get a job with the Wisconsin State Fair, get a deal at a rumage and party like a librarian," 28 May 2018 Former president and current member Marie Weber said socializing gave way to fundraising, especially through rummage and bake sales, Christmas house tours and by creating and selling local phone directories. — Jim Stingl, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stingl: With membership dwindling, once-thriving Hales Corners Woman's Club is disbanding," 24 Apr. 2018 Important note: Last week's announcement failed to give a date for the Western Reserve Masonic Community's annual rummage and estate sale. — 'sam' Boyer/special To Cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "Young speakers impress the audience: Whit & Whimsey," 20 Apr. 2018 Today’s stores, all close to the Brooklyn apartment that Cumming, Faber and Kivlen once shared, are rummage-friendly. — Alice Hines, New York Times, "How a Rising Rock Band Shops for Vintage," 29 Mar. 2018 Also lots of household rummage, books, crafting items and collectibles/treasures. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 4. — cleveland.com, "Holiday sales and bazaars pop up for the 2017 season around Northeast Ohio," 26 Oct. 2017 Featuring local crafters, complimentary gift wrapping, holiday rummage, and items made by our own residents. — cleveland.com, "Holiday sales and bazaars pop up for the 2017 season around Northeast Ohio," 26 Oct. 2017 Her novels—filled with vicars, church jumble (rummage) sales, cups of tea, narcissistic men, and anthropologists—are sometimes compared to those of Jane Austen for their delicate irony, but Pym was less sanguine about romantic love. — Laura Miller, Slate Magazine, "A new book about the diets of notable women redeems the whole sentimental, self-indulgent genre of food writing.," 12 July 2017 Merrillville rummage sale Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church will hold its fifth annual Rummage Sale Friday through Sunday at the church, located at 8600 Grand Blvd. in Merrillville. — Post-Tribune, "Community news," 23 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rummage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near rummage

Statistics for rummage

Last Updated

14 May 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for rummage

The first known use of rummage was in 1582

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More Definitions for rummage

rummage

verb

English Language Learners Definition of rummage

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to search for something especially by moving and looking through the contents of a place

rummage

noun

English Language Learners Definition of rummage (Entry 2 of 2)

chiefly British : the act of looking for something among a group of things

See the full definition for rummage in the English Language Learners Dictionary

rummage

verb

rum·mage | \ ˈrə-mij

rummaged; rummaging

Kids Definition of rummage

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to search especially by moving and looking through the contents of a place or container … Henry and his father rummaged through the basement until they found a gallon jar …— Beverly Cleary, Henry Huggins