rustling 1 of 2

present participle of rustle
1
as in grazing
to feed on grass or herbs just take the steer out to pasture and let it rustle for itself

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
as in crackling
to make small sounds usually by rubbing or moving my pet peeve is candy wrappers rustling during a movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

rustling

2 of 2

noun

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 rustling
Verb
Great gray owls hunt blind, flying low, listening to the faintest rustling of a mouse beneath snow. Kate Siber, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025 The dense canopy of trees, the rustling of leaves, and the interplay of light and shadow that evoke mood and emotions. Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
In a matter of just a few days, the county judge, his son, his nephew, and one of his closest allies had been arrested in two separate incidents — the cattle-rustling case and the jury-duty hearing. Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025 During the 1880s, the brothers lived here and made their livelihood rustling cattle and horses, while at the same time disposing of unsuspecting ranchers who wandered too close to their hideout. Patti Nickell, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025 End your drive with a stay at Chinati Hot Springs, and soak in the steaming springwater beneath rustling cottonwoods and the glittering expanse of Texas stars. Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025 In it, Carrie spends an awkward weekend with Aidan and his family in Virginia after spontaneously extending what otherwise would have been a day-trip; one scene shows Carrie rustling from sleep fully clothed and totally alone in his bed on her first morning there. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 15 Aug. 2025 In the Danube Delta, silence reigns—broken only by pelican wings, rustling reeds, and drifting river mist that veils the labyrinth of wetlands. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rustling
Verb
  • Given the widespread risk of catastrophic wildfire, the federal government must better utilize grazing to combat the wildfire crisis.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The menswear designer's ensemble consisted of a knee-grazing black cardigan with a contrasting denim collar and button trim, matching black pants and black leather loafers.
    Starr Bowenbank, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Inside, there’s the occasional model being fitted and photographed, outside there are truck drivers, caterers, lighting specialists and many more milling around or scurrying about.
    Evan Clark, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Normally, the hours and days before the prospect of a shutdown on Capitol Hill are filled with scenes of lawmakers and aides scurrying about to negotiate possible settlements.
    Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Then came whispers that Netflix had put the show on its internal server, and employees couldn’t get enough of Bell and Brody’s crackling chemistry.
    Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Is there anything more homey than listening to the symphony of a rainstorm, snuggling by a crackling fire, and holding a steaming cup of hot cocoa?
    Christina Fang, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Their main killers are loss of habitat, poaching and disease, according to the nonprofit fund.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Subsistence poaching is done by groups and individuals to fulfill their own nutritional needs, whereas commercial poaching is done for profit.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Two members of the airline crew can then be seen hurrying from the rear of the plane toward the fire.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Pedestrians are hurrying past to find their places on Fifth Avenue, but the girls have a different kind of readiness about them.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Is the muse whispering in your ear?
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Clark revealed this summer what she and Swift were seen whispering about in a suite during the Chiefs’ playoff game against the Houston Texans back in January.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The discovery has sparked discussions about the ethical considerations of such finds, including concerns about potential looting.
    Real-Time news team, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Casualties among Gaza’s police force during the two-year conflict have contributed to a deterioration in security, with looting of aid becoming commonplace.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Except for the blood that was rushing away from his body, pouring out from his neck, his throat split open wide as a shark’s mouth.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Chase Brown also helped open up the passing game, rushing for 108 yards on 11 carries.
    Jon Conahan, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rustling. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

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