rummaged; rummaging
1
: to make a thorough search or investigation
2
: to engage in an undirected or haphazard search
1
: to make a thorough search through : ransack
rummaged the attic
2
: to examine minutely and completely
3
: to discover by searching
rummager
noun
1
a
: a confused miscellaneous collection
b
: items for sale at a rummage sale
2
: a thorough search especially among a confusion of objects
Synonyms
Verb
- ascertain
- descry
- detect
- determine
- dig out
- dig up
- discover
- dredge (up)
- ferret (out)
- find
- find out
- get
- hit (on or upon)
- hunt (down or up)
- learn
- locate
- nose out
- root (out)
- rout (out)
- run down
- scare up
- scout (up)
- track (down)
- turn up
Noun
- agglomerate
- agglomeration
- alphabet soup
- assortment
- botch
- clutter
- collage
- crazy quilt
- farrago
- gallimaufry
- grab bag
- gumbo
- hash
- hodgepodge
- hotchpotch
- jambalaya
- jumble
- jungle
- litter
- macédoine
- medley
- mélange
- menagerie
- miscellanea
- miscellany
- mishmash
- mixed bag
- montage
- motley
- muddle
- olio
- olla podrida
- omnium-gatherum
- pastiche
- patchwork
- patchwork quilt
- potpourri
- ragbag
- ragout
- salad
- salmagundi
- scramble
- shuffle
- smorgasbord
- stew
- tumble
- variety
- welter
Examples of rummage in a Sentence
Verb
He rummaged through the attic for his baseball card collection.
He rummaged in his pocket for the receipt.
I heard you rummaging around in the refrigerator.
Noun
a rummage of textbooks, notebooks, and old school papers all over the desk
Recent Examples on the Web
Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 14 May 2024
Other officers wielding batons were seen rummaging through tents set up on campus.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for rummage 
Verb
Someone smashed the sunroof and rummaged through a vehicle, but nothing of value was taken.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 14 May 2024
Other officers wielding batons were seen rummaging through tents set up on campus.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for rummage
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rummage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rummage
Cite this Entry
“Rummage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rummage. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rummage
1 of 2 verb
rum·mage
ˈrəm-ij 
rummaged; rummaging
: to make an active search especially by moving, turning, or looking through the contents of a place or container
rummaging through the attic
rummage
2 of 2 noun
: a confused miscellaneous collection of articles
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