rumple

verb

Definition of rumplenext
1
as in to crumple
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in the guest rumpled the antique bedspread by lying down on it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wrinkle
to develop creases or folds the linen skirt rumpled as soon as she started wearing it

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of the aunt would invariably rumple the little boy's hair whenever she came to visit

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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 rumple When his teams didn’t entertain, Moe became the show, this cursing, grumbling, rumpled 6-foot-5 firebrand who dressed like a ’70s private detective, a disheveled anti-hero who detested suits. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026 He was rumpled in the summer heat and wearing a collarless white shirt. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026 Outfits that don't look rumpled straight out of my luggage, like my favorite pair of wrinkle-free pants, are a must-have. — Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2025 These comfort-forward essentials are designed to minimize aches, maximize rest and help any traveler arrive feeling more refreshed than rumpled. — Jill Schildhouse, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rumple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumple
  1. crumple
  2. wrinkle
  3. disrupt
  4. scrunch
  5. furrow
  6. shuffle
  7. fold
  8. crease
Verb
  • Onlookers and policemen rushed to the balloon’s basket to find the three men lying crumpled on the ground.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Later, when the water receded, Fulcher and McKay pried open the Trotters’ crumpled trailer.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of crumple
Verb
  • All items arrived clean (professional cleaning is included in your BNTO box subscription) and showed no wear and tear, though they were wrinkled from shipping and needed a good steam before wearing.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The same men worked in the lobby—a little fatter, a little more wrinkled and gray.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrinkle
Verb
  • The ruling warns that the last-minute intervention could disenfranchise eligible voters, disrupt the midterm election and invite political meddling.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The most recent lockout in 2022 minimally disrupted the MLB schedule, pushing Opening Day back a week.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • In between setups, Baranski tries to keep her energy up, scrunching her face and blowing her lips together to keep them elastic.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Sitting at the defendant’s table, Flynn scrunched up his face and appeared to be crying as the 911 call was played aloud.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of scrunch
Verb
  • My mom’s siblings usually arrived in a sour mood without greeting anyone at the table, my aunt’s brow furrowed and my uncle wearing a sneaky smirk.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The stranger watched it with deathly seriousness, forehead furrowed as if thinking through some impossible problem.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of furrow
Verb
  • Findings of no effect tend to either be shuffled off to low-profile journals or left behind as unpublished lab lore.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026
  • For the most part, this was a second consecutive solid performance by a group that will likely undergo major personnel shuffling all season.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • Deadline hears that the BBC has held tentative discussions about whether Sounds could be folded in with iPlayer to create a single streaming service for video and audio, not unlike Netflix and YouTube.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The headphones are more flexible than ever, too—just fold them up to pack them away for a trip.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fold
Verb
  • The arid landscape is creased with rugged mountain ranges, cleaved by scenic canyons and filled with vast stretches of open space interrupted by midsize cities and small towns that spring like oases from the desert floor.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Roll magazines and tuck them inside your boots to prevent the boot shaft from being creased or collapsing during storage.
    — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of crease

Browse Nearby Words

rump
rumple
rumpled
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Cite this Entry

“Rumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumple. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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