rumble

American  

[ruhm-buhl] / ˈrʌm bəl /

verb (used without object)

rumbled, rumbling

1. to make a deep, heavy, somewhat muffled, continuous sound, as thunder.

   Synonyms:

   boom, roll, thunder, roar

2. to move or travel with such a sound.

   The train rumbled on.

3. Slang. to have or take part in a street fight between or among teenage gangs.

   Rival gangs rumbled on Saturday afternoon.

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verb (used with object)

rumbled, rumbling

1. to give forth or utter with a rumbling sound.

   to rumble a command.

2. to cause to make or move with a rumbling sound.

   to rumble a wagon over the ground.

3. to subject to the action of a rumble or tumbling box, as for the purpose of polishing.

noun

1. a deep, heavy, somewhat muffled, continuous sound.

   the rumble of tanks across a bridge.

2. rumble seat.

3. a rear part of a carriage containing seating accommodations, as for servants, or space for baggage.

4. a tumbling box.

5. Slang. a street fight between rival teenage gangs.

rumble British  

/ ˈrʌmbəl /

verb

1. to make or cause to make a deep resonant sound

   thunder rumbled in the sky

2. to move with such a sound

   the train rumbled along

3. (tr) to utter with a rumbling sound

   he rumbled an order

4. (tr) to tumble (metal components, gemstones, etc) in a barrel of smooth stone in order to polish them

5. informal (tr) to find out about (someone or something); discover (something)

   the police rumbled their plans

6. slang (intr) to be involved in a gang fight

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noun

1. a deep resonant sound

2. a widespread murmur of discontent

3. another name for tumbler

4. slang a gang fight

Other Word Forms

• rumbler noun
• rumbling adjective
• rumblingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of rumble

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English verb romblen, rumblen; compare Dutch rommelen, probably imitative of the sound; 1940–45 rumble for def. 3

Explanation

Are you ready to rumble? To rumble is to throw down, or fight. If you hear a truck rumble down your street, don’t put up your dukes — to rumble also means to make a low, deep sound. Thunder rumbles just before you see lightning flash, and dogs sometimes rumble a low warning growl when they see someone unfamiliar. As a noun, rumble can mean "a low sound," “a seat in the back of a carriage” (the rumble seat) or " a street fight." It's a little old fashioned today to call a gang brawl a rumble, but if you've ever seen the movie "West Side Story," you've seen the rumble between the Jets and the Sharks.

Example Sentences

“We’re all men,” center Jalen Duren said after a recent win over the Charlotte Hornets exploded into an all-out rumble in the third quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

"It was a rumble and then a bang," one resident told AFP, asking not to be named.

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

There was a low rumble that vibrated for a second or two, then faded away.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026

Another, in Silverdale, posted: "Loud rumble and rattling of fixtures in house, as though something had collapsed or the chimney had fallen off. Significant enough to go outside to check."

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025

I could hear people talking and the rumble of wagons and teams moving along the street.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• resound
• roar