TOUSLING Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

tousling

verb

present participle of tousle

as in disrupting

to undo the proper order or arrangement of his grandfather would always tousle the boy's neatly combed hair

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 tousling In the photo, the Babygirl actress could be seen tapping into her screen siren status by posing with her hands tousling her curls. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 20 June 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousling

Verb

Persistent heatwaves are not only driving up the cost of keeping society running and disrupting companies' production and operations, but are also putting pressure on European economic growth.

— , CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
The Dodgers pulled off the trade without disrupting their major-league squad.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of disrupting

Verb

Few heads turn despite her tall, unmistakable frame shuffling across the floor.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
In the Van Morrison video, people are shuffling around him, walking directly in front of or around him, some of them appear to be hustling to somewhere more urgent, some of them may be stopping for a brief glance, and then moving on.

— Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 31 July 2026

Definition of shuffling

Verb

Physicians are alarmed, stressing that FDA licensing is crucial for guiding patients, as this decision risks confusing consumers about regulated versus unregulated treatments.

— Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
The Seahawks and Eagles won Super Bowls by confusing teams from multiple alignments.

— Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of confusing

Verb

The couple have long warned of the dangers of social media and the evolution of disturbing AI tools, zoning in on the negative impact the platforms can have on mental health.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
Each seat is 19 inches wide with 39 inches of pitch with thoughtful features like a hard shell for easy reclining without disturbing surrounding fliers and privacy dividers attached to the headrest.

— Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Browse Nearby Words

tousles

tousling

tout

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tousling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousling. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tousling

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on tousling

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

invidious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes