1
as in finding
to come upon after searching, study, or effort
at the last minute she rummaged a costume from the attic
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in searching
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
he rummaged the desk drawer trying to find the spare keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rummaging
The song progresses as the video shows scenes of deputies rummaging through the rapper's possessions, including several coats in a closet and CDs stacked near a stereo.
—
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Wired headphones, chargers, and adapters go here, so you’ll never be stuck rummaging through a tote bag for an EU-compatible plug at the gate again.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
Nervous hands rummaging for tissues in handbags, sweaty embraces, last words of advice—and then, we were gone.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Almost immediately the gunman went rummaging through a small tackle box beneath his chair while the other man passed an unlabeled liter of clear liquid to Adi.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Instead of rummaging through containers and bags of food, stackable refrigerator bins are our favorite way to make everything easy to find and reach.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Videos of bears rummaging through supermarket aisles, roaming school grounds and plucking persimmons from suburban backyards have gone viral on Japanese social media.
—Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
In one of the scenes, Kevin takes advantage of being alone in the house and starts rummaging through his big brother Buzz's belongings.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025
Dogs around Delhi usually mind their business, which includes basking in the sun, rummaging through trash for food or chasing away rats.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2025
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Wired headphones, chargers, and adapters go here, so you’ll never be stuck rummaging through a tote bag for an EU-compatible plug at the gate again.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
Nervous hands rummaging for tissues in handbags, sweaty embraces, last words of advice—and then, we were gone.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Almost immediately the gunman went rummaging through a small tackle box beneath his chair while the other man passed an unlabeled liter of clear liquid to Adi.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Instead of rummaging through containers and bags of food, stackable refrigerator bins are our favorite way to make everything easy to find and reach.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Videos of bears rummaging through supermarket aisles, roaming school grounds and plucking persimmons from suburban backyards have gone viral on Japanese social media.
—Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
In one of the scenes, Kevin takes advantage of being alone in the house and starts rummaging through his big brother Buzz's belongings.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025
Dogs around Delhi usually mind their business, which includes basking in the sun, rummaging through trash for food or chasing away rats.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rummaging
Verb
-
Stop and look around, there's something worth finding.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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Then finding the players who can execute them has made UConn the sport’s most formidable force.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Cops are searching for multiple suspects wearing ski masks last seen fleeing the scene on foot.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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With the Heat searching for answers amid its rough stretch, rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis was not part of the roation on Monday.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Township residents, though, were still discovering the reach of the megasite.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Meeting Rachel’s parents and getting that backstory leads her into discovering this family curse.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The head coach enjoys learning about the experiences of journeyman backups.—
Mike Kaye
April 1,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
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Years spent learning the craft gave Jovy insight into how ideas travel through culture and how messages resonate across communities.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fort Worth police are asking for the public’s help locating a missing 14-year-old boy, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
-
After the return of democracy in 1983, the state took responsibility for prosecuting those responsible for the crimes but showed less commitment to locating victims’ remains.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Clavicular is of course getting something in return.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Harbaugh is wagering that McDaniel is the key to getting Herbert over the hump.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rummaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rummaging. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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