ripple

¹ American  

[rip-uhl] / ˈrɪp əl /

verb (used without object)

rippled, rippling

1. (of a liquid surface) to form small waves or undulations, as water agitated by a breeze.

   Synonyms:

   purl, undulate, wave

2. to flow with a light rise and fall or ruffling of the surface.

3. (of a solid surface) to form or have small undulations, ruffles, or folds.

4. (of sound) to undulate or rise and fall in tone, inflection, or magnitude.

---

verb (used with object)

rippled, rippling

1. to form small waves or undulations on; agitate lightly.

   Synonyms:

   dimple, curl, ruffle

2. to mark as if with ripples; give a wavy form to.

noun

1. a small wave or undulation, as on water.

   Synonyms:

   ruffle, wavelet

2. any similar movement or appearance; a small undulation or wave, as in hair.

3. a small rapid.

4. Geology. ripple mark.

5. a sound, as of water flowing in ripples.

   a ripple of laughter.

ripple ² American  

[rip-uhl] / ˈrɪp əl /

noun

1. a toothed or comblike device for removing seeds or capsules from flax, hemp, etc.

---

verb (used with object)

rippled, rippling

1. to remove the seeds or capsules from (flax or hemp) with a ripple.

ripple ¹ British  

/ ˈrɪpəl /

noun

1. a slight wave or undulation on the surface of water

2. a small wave or undulation in fabric, hair, etc

3. a sound reminiscent of water flowing quietly in ripples

   a ripple of laughter

4. electronics an oscillation of small amplitude superimposed on a steady value

5. another word for riffle

6. another word for ripple mark

---

verb

1. (intr) to form ripples or flow with a rippling or undulating motion

2. (tr) to stir up (water) so as to form ripples

3. (tr) to make ripple marks

4. (intr) (of sounds) to rise and fall gently

   her laughter rippled through the air

ripple ² British  

/ ˈrɪpəl /

noun

1. a special kind of comb designed to separate the seed from the stalks in flax, hemp, or broomcorn

---

verb

1. (tr) to comb with this tool

Usage

What does ripple mean? A ripple is a small wave, ruffle, or wrinkle on the surface of something, such as water, fabric, clouds, or hair.A raindrop causes ripples in a puddle. A soft gust of wind can cause ripples on the surface of a lake, on the surface of a sheet hanging from a clothesline, or through the tall grasses in the meadow. Ripples aren’t typically breaks in the surface where they appear—they are disturbances that change its shape momentarily.The word can also be applied to waves or wrinkles involving intangible or abstract things, such as ripples of cause and effect. Much like the ripples that result from tossing a stone into a pond, one action causes many other things to happen in a kind of chain reaction known as a ripple effect. Ripple can also refer to a cascading sound, like that of rippling water, as in a ripple of laughter. More specifically, ripple can refer to a swirl of a particular ingredient in ice cream, such as caramel or chocolate. There are even some flavors whose name indicates what the ripple consists of, such as butterscotch ripple.  Ripple is also used as a verb meaning to form or cause such waves, ruffles, or wrinkles, as in The wind rippled the surface of the river. It can also mean to gently flow or rise and fall.Things with ripples in them can be described as rippled or ripply.Example: I like to throw rocks into the still pond and see how far the ripples extend out.

Related Words

See wave.

Other Word Forms

• rippleless adjective
• rippler noun
• rippling adjective
• ripplingly adverb
• ripply adjective

Etymology

Origin of ripple¹

First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain

Origin of ripple²

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; cognate with West Frisian ripel, Dutch repel, German Riffel

Example Sentences

When multiple regions face water shortages or excesses at once, the impacts can ripple through agriculture, trade, and humanitarian planning.

From Science Daily

Roper’s presence sends a ripple effect across the remaining three episodes.

From Los Angeles Times

I hadn’t planned for the ripple effects of U.S. military action in Venezuela, 540 miles from where my daughter and I had spent part of our holiday.

From The Wall Street Journal

Concerns exist regarding potential ripple effects on global supply chains and the technology sector due to geopolitical shifts.

From Barron's

As news of his seizure rippled out, exiled Venezuelans waved flags and celebrated in plazas from Madrid to Santiago.

From Barron's