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
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rumple
Or Pritzker could try a Trump-like move and stop appearing in public looking rumpled and always insist on an ample suit coat.
—
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
And there was no single form of equilibrium for a knitted sweater's resting shape; rather, there were multiple metastable states that were dependent on the fabric's history—the different ways it had been folded, stretched, or rumpled.
—Ars Technica, 27 Dec. 2024
Her hair is frizzy, or her dress is rumpled, but that disheveledness was something that Turini wanted to explore in Maddie’s wardrobe to signify her lack of self.
—Kerensa Cadenas, IndieWire, 16 Aug. 2024
Cooley was a prosecutor straight out of central casting, as Trump might put it, gray-haired and a bit rumpled, who gave the impression of having witnessed more than his share of crime victims’ pain.
—Dan Morain, The Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rumple
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
And there was no single form of equilibrium for a knitted sweater's resting shape; rather, there were multiple metastable states that were dependent on the fabric's history—the different ways it had been folded, stretched, or rumpled.
—Ars Technica, 27 Dec. 2024
Her hair is frizzy, or her dress is rumpled, but that disheveledness was something that Turini wanted to explore in Maddie’s wardrobe to signify her lack of self.
—Kerensa Cadenas, IndieWire, 16 Aug. 2024
Cooley was a prosecutor straight out of central casting, as Trump might put it, gray-haired and a bit rumpled, who gave the impression of having witnessed more than his share of crime victims’ pain.
—Dan Morain, The Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rumple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumple
Verb
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The polar bear crumpled three steps from Junior’s feet.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
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Ball collided hard with Lee and both crumpled quickly to the floor, quieting the arena while many looked on anxiously.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Karina Toner, operations manager of Spekless Cleaners, says this is ideal for items such as jackets, dresses, and shirts that don’t wrinkle as easily as other pieces of clothing.—
Jodi Gonzalez,
The Spruce,
9 Feb. 2026
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Minutes stretched into hours as Evelyn focused on ensuring her wedding ring didn't slip off her fingers, now waterlogged and wrinkled.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Corvus Robotics says the system can operate during active warehouse shifts without disrupting workflows.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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The West Coast sunlight would disrupt the concert feel that most halftime shows have, Cuddeford said.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To give your straight strands an undone finish, spritz and scrunch them with a texture spray.—
Krista Carter,
InStyle,
27 Jan. 2026
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Late in the third quarter, Buzelis turned away from the basket and scrunched up his face in a grimace of disgust.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Keep an eye out for Jeffrey pines, which will have deeply furrowed bark and round prickly cones.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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Trump's pin features a cartoon version of himself with his mouth open, brows furrowed and fists balled at his sides.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The race for Los Angeles mayor has been in an extraordinary state of flux, with the candidate lineup shuffling and reshuffling in the final days before the filing deadline.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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The Moore administration has chosen the opposite approach, doubling down on spending while shuffling money around in a game of three-card monte.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For now, the opposition appears situated to fold in newcomers and build on the momentum.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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Using its multi-camera vision system, the robot identifies laundry items, determines their orientation and shape, and executes folding motions learned during training.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Folding and creasing a piece of paper.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Slip Silk Scrunchies are designed to hold hair without creasing, causing friction, or stealing moisture.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rumple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumple. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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