ripple

1 of 2

verb

rip·​ple ˈri-pəl How to pronounce ripple (audio)
rippled; rippling ˈri-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce ripple (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to become lightly ruffled or covered with small waves
b
: to flow in small waves
c
: to fall in soft undulating folds
the scarf rippled to the floor
2
: to flow with a light rise and fall of sound or inflection
laughter rippled over the audience
3
: to move with an undulating motion or so as to cause ripples
the canoe rippled through the water
4
: to have or produce a ripple effect : spread
the news rippled outwards

transitive verb

1
: to stir up small waves on
2
: to impart a wavy motion or appearance to
rippling his arm muscles
3
: to utter or play with a slight rise and fall of sound
rippler noun

ripple

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a shallow stretch of rough water in a stream
b(1)
: the ruffling of the surface of water
(2)
: a small wave
2
b
: a sound like that of rippling water
a ripple of laughter
c
: a usually slight noticeable effect or reaction
ripply adjective

Examples of ripple in a Sentence

Verb Water rippled under the dock. We could see the lion's muscles ripple. A cool breeze rippled the water. Noun The pebble made ripples in the pond when I threw it in.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
And the case brewing in the U.K., which is set to go to trial early next year, has the potential to have larger ramifications, rippling across the pond to the U.S. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 The wind picked up, rippling away reflections on the water. Joe Heim, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 Especially when Donald, muscles rippling, proudly appeared shirtless for news conferences during training camp. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024 The issue, caused by a problem with the fast-food giant’s computer system, rippled from Japan to Australia, New Zealand and several European countries on Friday, leaving some restaurants unable to take orders or serve food. Shirley Zhao, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 The backsplash behind the headboards and rippled pattern of the blue carpeting are meant to mimic the watery landscape that surrounds the hotel. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 Body-framing pieces surfaced with a rippling, sheeny silicone latex treatment reflect the watery vistas of the designer’s upbringing — her mother worked as a ship’s captain on the Great Lakes — as well as her siren intent to project a unique and specific voice in the fashion space. Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 Rent hikes are expected to ease in the coming months as falling rates for new leases ripple to existing leases. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Continue to push the eggs in a circular motion for 5 to 10 seconds, just until the center is slightly wet looking and the egg looks rippled. Emily Weinstein, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024
Noun
What could have been a ripple of worker discontent became a wave as major strike activity hiked by 280% in 2023. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 We’re made from ripples of a universe, and that is a very different picture. Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 In another ripple, some then wondered if the picture of Princess Kate driving away from Windsor Castle with Prince William on Monday was doctored, as the bricks looked different through the window and above the vehicle. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Produced on a shoestring budget, the film barely made a ripple on its initial release. Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 This patience and restraint allows their songs to reveal deep oceans of emotion with the ease of a summer breeze fluttering ripples across a pond. Vrinda Jagota, SPIN, 11 Mar. 2024 This piece—published, then killed, by Road & Track, in a controversy that captivated the media world this week—caused ripples because of the socialist critique on its surface. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2024 And yet, even the skeptics of any direct effect acknowledge that near-simultaneous elections could cause ripples on both sides of the pond, given how Britain and the United States often seem to operate under the same political weather system. Mark Landler, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2024 But there is a ripple of ambiguity on this point that foreshadows future litigation. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ripple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps frequentative of rip entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1671, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ripple was circa 1671

Dictionary Entries Near ripple

Cite this Entry

“Ripple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripple. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ripple

1 of 2 verb
rip·​ple ˈrip-əl How to pronounce ripple (audio)
rippled; rippling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce ripple (audio)
1
a
: to become or cause to become covered with small waves
b
: to flow in small waves
2
: to make a sound like that of water flowing in small waves
laughter rippled through the crowd
3
: to move with a wavy motion

ripple

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: the disturbing of the surface of water
b
: a small wave or a mark like a small wave
2
: a sound like that of rippling water

More from Merriam-Webster on ripple

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