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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

Synonym Usage

See wave.

Other Word Forms

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

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

Explanation

A ripple is a small wave on the surface of something, such as a ripple that forms a ring around the spot where you threw a pebble into the pond. Ripple can also be a verb. For example, you might see raindrops ripple on top of a puddle. Ripple was first used in the 1670s to describe something that causes a ruffled surface, sort of like how water seems to momentarily gain texture as it's stirred. Ripple later came to describe a very small wave, but you've probably heard of the "ripple effect" in which tiny waves spread, setting off more and more waves.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ripple rippled rippling

The move aimed to increase controller ranks and ease New York region travel delays, which can ripple across the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Therefore, “if it changes course on its buildout, that could ripple through the entire supply chain,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

The increase in oil prices has also affected diesel and fertilizer prices, creating a ripple effect through several sectors, including agriculture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026

The findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, point to a phenomenon known as a trophic cascade, in which changes at the top of the food chain ripple through multiple levels of an ecosystem.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 28, 2026

The fun-house Muriel began to ripple, as did the startling image of Goldilocks shedding feathers as she expanded into a person.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

The renewed clashes between the U.S. and Iran also rippled through precious metals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Yet all of them convey an understanding, even an appreciation, for their close connection to an artist whose influence rippled across popular music.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026

The Bell Beaker people rapidly expanded and rippled out further in all directions, creating the bronze age of central Europe.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2026

Within hours of the shooting that rippled across Southern California’s Muslim community, Abdullah’s picture had been circulated and reposted thousands of times.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

Their wings created a small windstorm that rippled the surface of the water.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

In a series of new rules and laws, China is reordering the wealth landscape, seeking to better control how money leaves the country, with effects rippling beyond its borders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

The fires that burned through massive warehouses operated by Wildberries are rippling through Russia’s consumer economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

On the surface, the Bowdens are a perfect family, but cracks are rippling with increasing intensity just beneath, a fragility that will soon be exploited by Cady.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

A weaker rupee is rippling through the domestic economy.

From Barron's ● May 17, 2026

From here there was no land to be seen anywhere—just a vast expanse of blue water rippling in the evening sun.

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie