as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
his grandfather would always tousle the boy's neatly combed hair
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Recent Examples of tousle
Whether it was tousled by hand or pulled back in a tortoiseshell headband, Bessette’s length and color followed the same effortless code of her wardrobe, leaving us with enduring hair inspiration even after her untimely passing.
—
Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2026
Winn has a lean, tan face and tousled blond hair befitting his California lifestyle.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 20 Feb. 2026
The result appeared toward the end of the post, which included a photo of Stamos checking out his new look and a video of Capri tousling his hair.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
In that original viral campaign launch video, a bearded Platner, his strawberry blonde hair tousled, introduced Maine voters to the issues central to his platform, namely, broad economic populism, taxing billionaires, and universal healthcare.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tousle
Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2026
Winn has a lean, tan face and tousled blond hair befitting his California lifestyle.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 20 Feb. 2026
The result appeared toward the end of the post, which included a photo of Stamos checking out his new look and a video of Capri tousling his hair.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
In that original viral campaign launch video, a bearded Platner, his strawberry blonde hair tousled, introduced Maine voters to the issues central to his platform, namely, broad economic populism, taxing billionaires, and universal healthcare.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tousle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousle
Verb
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Western analysts and officials say Ukraine has in recent months recorded battlefield successes against Russia’s bigger army, disrupting a spring offensive started by Russia amid improving weather, as fields dry out and new foliage on tree lines offers more cover.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Florida didn't want to pay any homage to Quick during the game, so as not to disrupt the goalie's typical routines.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Growing up in a military family, Vogel shuffled between the East Coast and Europe every two to three years.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Bruins are shuffling off to Buffalo.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In such environments, gravitational encounters can pair black holes together or disturb existing pairs, leading to the mixed spin orientations and more complex motion seen in the data.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
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Werner said there is one charge, an accusation of participating in an encampment that disturbed university operations, which violates the faculty code of conduct.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Neptune also blurs lines, which is why its influence can feel mysterious or even confusing at times.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The threats have left operators confused and frozen, unwilling to attempt passage, due to safety fears and uncertainty about Iran's new fee system.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tousle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousle. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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