1
: rumble
2
: general but unofficial talk or opinion often of dissatisfaction
usually used in plural
rumblings of political trouble Anthony Burgess

Examples of rumbling in a Sentence

There were rumblings about rising prices.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That's why smart deals writers like yours truly have their ears to the ground to pick up rumblings. K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 17 Mar. 2025 Over the next several weeks, the stakes are high for incoming economic data reports to show the economy remaining resilient given the recent rumblings of weakness. Sarah Min, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025 It’s been nearly two decades since the T-Mobile Center (née Sprint Center) opened and while there had been rumblings of an NBA or NHL team being an anchor tenant, those hopes never materialized. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2025 There have been rumblings of ESPN looking to get out of its MLB contract. Richard Deitsch, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rumbling

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rumbling was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rumbling. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on rumbling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!