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
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
Look at Jimmy Fallon, who steered clear of the wrong jokes and tousled the right hair, and is still catching all-caps strays on Truth Social.
—James Folta
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Inviting Half Lash to the singer's eyes and her hair down and tousled with a classic middle part.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2025
After Fallon’s now-infamous Tonight Show interview with Donald Trump leading up to the 2016 election, many criticized him for humanizing Trump by asking him softball questions and tousling his hair.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tousle
Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
Look at Jimmy Fallon, who steered clear of the wrong jokes and tousled the right hair, and is still catching all-caps strays on Truth Social.
—James Folta
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Inviting Half Lash to the singer's eyes and her hair down and tousled with a classic middle part.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2025
After Fallon’s now-infamous Tonight Show interview with Donald Trump leading up to the 2016 election, many criticized him for humanizing Trump by asking him softball questions and tousling his hair.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tousle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousle
Verb
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Both sides say the strike will disrupt hospital operations.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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The United States on June 25 launched a new satellite expected to significantly improve forecasts of solar flares and coronal mass ejections — huge plasma bubbles that can crash into Earth, disrupting power grids and communications.—
Sasirekha Subramanian,
Forbes.com,
26 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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Taking place during the Christmas season, the film centers on a group of sorority sisters who are tormented by persistent, disturbing phone calls.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
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Kids comb case files, contact local authorities, and even interview a victim, all of which expose each young detective to disturbing images, ideas, and theories.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The California Department of Public Health is urging people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether this year because death cap mushrooms are easily confused with safe, edible varieties.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Germany's exact medal count is a point of contention because Germany has not always competed in each Olympics as a unified country, which can lead to confusing medal counts.—
Aliza Chasan,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tousle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousle. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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