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

Today, the view takes in one of Europe's largest logistics hubs and key transport routes between Rotterdam and Belgium, the rumble of passing trucks drowns out the birdsong.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

It swoops down playfully in “A Black Song,” over a swung rumble of drumbeats.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

The rumble of jets and hum of drones "come from everywhere. Especially at night", he told AFP in the hamlet of Barsirini, dozens of kilometres from the border.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026

Suddenly, he felt his stomach give a painful rumble and remembered he hadn’t eaten any dinner.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

Related Words

• resound
• roar