ripple 1 of 2

verb

ˈri-pəl How to pronounce ripple (audio)
Definition of ripplenext
as in to splash
to flow in a broken irregular stream water rippling gently over the tiers of the fountain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ripple

2 of 2

noun

1
as in warble

Related Words
2
as in fallout

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
3
as in wavelet

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ripple
Verb
And if the ether is the medium through which light waves ripple, this should mean the speed of light differs ever so slightly in the direction Earth is traveling. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 July 2026 Thousands of dead Cassin's auklets washed onto beaches across the Pacific Northwest during the same period, another indication that warming ocean conditions had rippled through the ecosystem. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Noun
How do small acts (kindness, decisions, missed moments) ripple across the characters' lives? — CBS News, 16 June 2026 Community consequences Immigration policies shape health in ways that go beyond hospitals or doctors’ offices and ripple across entire communities. — Jallicia Jolly, The Conversation, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ripple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ripple
  1. splash
  2. warble
  3. fallout
  4. wavelet
  5. wash
  6. trill
  7. side effect
  8. curl
Verb
  • Instead of splashing photos of their designer gowns all over social media for fans to commend or criticize, the four brides have taken a beat.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 8 July 2026
  • The shallow river's edge is also a playground for schoolchildren, who splash around for fun — and also are told by their parents to check fish traps.
    — William McCarthy, NPR, 4 July 2026
Definition of splash
Noun
  • For a time, the engine, with its distinctive exhaust warble, became closely associated with Audi’s lineup, aided in no small part by the motorsport successes of five-cylinder rally cars like the Sport Quattro S1 E2.
    — Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
  • The music fills our bodies, its rhythm melding with a deeper-time cycle of day-to-night, seasons changing, the imperceptible warble of a planet spinning gently on its axis.
    — Florence Williams, Outside Online, 11 May 2025
Definition of warble
Noun
  • Sportico’s Michael McCann, who is an attorney and a law professor, breaks down the potential legal fallout of a lockout in two parts.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026
  • After rumors of a fallout between Swift and Karlie Kloss, the model was spotted arriving at Madison Square Garden.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
Definition of fallout
Noun
  • Pipe those wavelets of foie gras feculence over to neighboring Surfside, a two-bathroom kind of town with waste pipes galore.
    — Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 June 2025
  • Its wavelets lap enticingly at our feet, but the breaker that might truly knock the breath out of us never comes.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of wavelet
Verb
  • Some physicians recommend washing your mouth out after use by gargling and rinsing your mouth with water.
    — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • The optimal times to use hair oil are before washing your hair or after a blow-dry.
    — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 July 2026
Definition of wash
Noun
  • The music flows out with ease—quick trills, raspy runs, then long, aching holds that stretch just to the edge of breaking.
    — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
  • After three years in the Eurovision wilderness, Romania makes a loud-and-proud comeback with a propulsive blend of nu-metal guitars, angsty melodies, and operatic trills worthy of a hand-horn salute.
    — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Definition of trill
Noun
  • Dizziness can be a side effect of GLP-1 medications, but the TV host doesn’t know what led to her symptoms.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
  • The resulting anxiety and panic are an unfortunate side effect of a banner year for fireworks shows.
    — Bill Chappell, NPR, 28 June 2026
Definition of side effect
Noun
  • Brittany Mahomes showed off a head full of romantic wavy curls created by Nashville stylist Brooke Barloe, who posted a photo on her Instagram.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • Steam rises in slow curls from a shaping stand while local kids climb onto high-top chairs and a Coors Light is passed between old friends across the counter.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026
Definition of curl

Browse Nearby Words

ripping (out)
ripple
rippled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ripple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ripple. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on ripple

Nglish: Translation of ripple for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ripple

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fulcrum

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All