rummage

1 of 2

verb

rum·​mage ˈrə-mij 

rummaged; rummaging

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

rummager noun

rummage

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a confused miscellaneous collection

b

: items for sale at a rummage sale

2

: a thorough search especially among a confusion of objects

Synonyms

Verb

• ascertain
• descry
• detect
• determine
• dig out
• dig up
• discover
• dredge (up)
• ferret (out)
• find
• find out
• get
• hit (on or upon)
• hunt (down or up)
• learn
• locate
• nose out
• root (out)
• rout (out)
• run down
• scare up
• scout (up)
• track (down)
• turn up

Noun

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

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

Several individuals told police a man in a dark hoodie had rummaged through multiple vehicles on the property and was chased off. —Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 May 2025

Bears often search for sustenance in people’s yards in early spring and late fall by rummaging through garbage, chicken coops, and bird feeders. —Benjamin Alva Polley, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2025

Noun

Looking for something to do, Stitch rummages through Lilo’s bookshelf, struck by a picture book: The Ugly Duckling. —Barry Levitt, Time, 21 May 2025

In a modest home in the English countryside, a young woman rummages through her mother’s belongings. —Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

obsolete English romage act of stowing cargo, modification of Middle French arrimage, from arrimer to stow, from a- (from Latin ad-) + -rimer, from Middle English rimen to open up, make room for, from Old English rȳman — more at ream

First Known Use

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing rummage

• have a rummage
• rummage sale

Kids Definition

rummage

1 of 2 verb

rum·​mage ˈrəm-ij 

rummaged; rummaging

: to make an active search especially by moving, turning, or looking through the contents of a place or container

rummaging through the attic

rummage

2 of 2 noun

: a confused miscellaneous collection of articles