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
Relevance
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
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 rummaging
Videos went viral of bears rummaging through supermarket aisles and roaming school grounds, setting local communities on edge.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
The first Newton to appear in the series in Season 3 came courtesy of some rummaging through eBay, where Mengual found a few real Newtons still in good condition.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 June 2026
Ferrier saw Frost rummaging through his car and ran outside and into the middle of the street, charges say.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Tangled charging cords and rummaging through your bag mid-flight are problems this little organizer pouch completely eliminates.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026
Clip-On Earrings When rummaging through a grandmother's jewelry box, you're almost guaranteed to stumble upon a pair of clip-on earrings.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Elderly people walk the streets alone —some rummaging through trash, others standing in long lines for the bread and rice provided by the ration book, the basic subsidized foods the state guarantees to every Cuban.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Sporting a classic look that doesn’t feel overly old-fashioned, the medium wood tone and exposed grain feeds into the illusion of a true antique find (without the work of rummaging through an estate sale catalogue).
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 24 Apr. 2026
Digital rummaging tests would protect against this idea of over-broad and expansive surveillance.
—ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2026
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
The first Newton to appear in the series in Season 3 came courtesy of some rummaging through eBay, where Mengual found a few real Newtons still in good condition.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 June 2026
Ferrier saw Frost rummaging through his car and ran outside and into the middle of the street, charges say.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Tangled charging cords and rummaging through your bag mid-flight are problems this little organizer pouch completely eliminates.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026
Clip-On Earrings When rummaging through a grandmother's jewelry box, you're almost guaranteed to stumble upon a pair of clip-on earrings.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Elderly people walk the streets alone —some rummaging through trash, others standing in long lines for the bread and rice provided by the ration book, the basic subsidized foods the state guarantees to every Cuban.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Sporting a classic look that doesn’t feel overly old-fashioned, the medium wood tone and exposed grain feeds into the illusion of a true antique find (without the work of rummaging through an estate sale catalogue).
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 24 Apr. 2026
Digital rummaging tests would protect against this idea of over-broad and expansive surveillance.
—ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rummaging
Verb
-
From intelligent fraud monitoring to keeping transactions (and cash) flowing, tools like these are finding fresh applications of AI that help sellers maintain an advantage in a competitive marketplace.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
In a sea of prestige actresses doing dramedy, Byrne is a true comedic talent, sporting incredible instincts for finding the funniest angle for Sylvia to take in her line readings or gestures.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
According to Ritter, defense attorneys could have been searching for a final opportunity to strengthen Anthony's position before the case reached the jury.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
-
The Pentagon is searching for new ways to protect military satellite communications from electronic attacks in space.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Anthropic’s latest funding round further demonstrates that its foundational commitment to commercial applications of its technology—writing code, discovering software bugs, and white-labeling enterprise chatbots around the globe—is paying off.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Sacramento County health inspectors closed three eateries including a Rancho Cordova warehouse after discovering 68 rodent droppings throughout the facility.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
May 29,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
In this context, Mentor126 notes that continuous access to guidance becomes an area of growing interest for many learning leaders.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
After learning their rent is being raised, the pair embark on a reckless night out that inspires an impulsive idea of faking a movie and seeing who shows up.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Authorities said rescue crews focused on locating the child during the critical first 90 minutes of the operation, deploying rescue boats and shoreline personnel throughout the swim beach area.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
Standard Rotary Blade Push Mower To adjust the mower height on a standard rotary-blade push mower, start by locating the adjustment levers.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Both Landman and The Madison have been renewed for new seasons, with Landman heading into its third and The Madison getting a second, but the Landman stars could not divulge any details about what to anticipate in season 3.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
But getting the shoes, walking around in my spare time in New York in heels, which Carolyn does in the show and Sarah Pidgeon does not.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rummaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rummaging. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
