rumble
Americanverb (used without object)
-
rumbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rumbled,
past participle, past
-
rumbling
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
rumbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rumbled,
past participle, past
-
rumbling
present participle
-
to give forth or utter with a rumbling sound.
to rumble a command.
-
to cause to make or move with a rumbling sound.
to rumble a wagon over the ground.
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to subject to the action of a rumble or tumbling box, as for the purpose of polishing.
noun
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rumbles
plural
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a deep, heavy, somewhat muffled, continuous sound.
the rumble of tanks across a bridge.
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a rear part of a carriage containing seating accommodations, as for servants, or space for baggage.
-
a tumbling box.
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Slang. a street fight between rival teenage gangs.
verb
-
to make or cause to make a deep resonant sound
thunder rumbled in the sky
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to move with such a sound
the train rumbled along
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(tr) to utter with a rumbling sound
he rumbled an order
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(tr) to tumble (metal components, gemstones, etc) in a barrel of smooth stone in order to polish them
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informal (tr) to find out about (someone or something); discover (something)
the police rumbled their plans
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slang (intr) to be involved in a gang fight
noun
-
a deep resonant sound
-
a widespread murmur of discontent
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another name for tumbler
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slang a gang fight
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rumblesimple
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rumblessimple
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have rumbledperfect
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has rumbledperfect
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am rumblingprogressive
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are rumblingprogressive
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is rumblingprogressive
-
have been rumblingperfect progressive
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has been rumblingperfect progressive
Past
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rumbledsimple
-
had rumbledperfect
-
was rumblingprogressive
-
were rumblingprogressive
-
had been rumblingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing rumble
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Meanwhile, Bentley addressed the challenge of luxury-EV sound by getting musicians to imitate the rumble of its V8 engines using traditional Western percussion instruments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
The volcano's sustained explosive activity weakened on September 6, although Anak Krakatau continued to rumble.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
Now the constant rumble of construction machinery has been replaced by a steady stream of vans and golf carts ferrying people to and from the paddock for this weekend's races.
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
Buskers perform on the city's famous Potemkin Stairs, while sunbathers barely flinch as the sirens sound and explosions rumble in the distance.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
And then, with a loud rumble and a gigantic splash, the shabby house drops into the water, taking Hairy Man Junior with it.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
As the debate rumbles on, the staff at the Middle Ale continue serving up pints of Guinness and Lidl’s own range of lagers and wines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Ultimately, the tracks would be complemented with multiple sound walls and shields, the latter clear structures designed to block coaster rumbles and audience screams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The new month sees U.S. stocks at record highs as an inexorable rally rumbles on.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026
Italy's eager back row soaked up England's ponderous forward rumbles and when the ball went wide, their defensive shape was barely ruffled.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
My belly rumbles at the mention of food.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
“The terminals are old! They weren’t meant for this,” a tired CTA employee explained, kindly ushering us through the stroller entrance as the next train rumbled toward the platform.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
It was a set-up so convoluted that it's doubtful that even Ross, who has been permanently paranoid about being murdered in plain sight, rumbled them.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
The S&P 500 has seen its multiple slide even as the broad index has rumbled to new highs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
“In a low energy 24 hours the Middle East story has rumbled on as concerns about fresh US-Iran hostilities pushed oil prices higher still,” Deutsche Bank’s Jim Reid wrote in a Tuesday note.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Thunder rumbled in the distance as the heavy rains continued to beat against the classroom windows.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
The crack of the bat echoed the thunder that had been rumbling outside of the roofed ballpark for much of the afternoon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Talk of City signing Bouaddi has been rumbling all summer, and the club have reportedly held talks with the Moroccan,, external who would cost an estimated £85m.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
That thunder you hear rumbling is Walt Disney yelling down: What’s the point?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
But the construction noise, rumbling trucks and constant influx of workers has the couple at their wits’ end.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
My rumbling stomach reminds me that I barely ate lunch.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
