Rummage — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈrə-mij/ rum·mage

Meaning & Definition of Rummage

Rummage (verb)

  1. to make a thorough search or investigation
  2. to engage in an undirected or haphazard search
  3. to make a thorough search through, ransack

Rummage (noun)

  1. a confused miscellaneous collection
  2. items for sale at a rummage sale
  3. a thorough search especially among a confusion of objects

Rummage (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an unorganized collection or mixture of various things

    "a rummage of textbooks, notebooks, and old school papers all over the desk"

    similar: agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, miscellany, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter
    related: detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries, accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration, catchall, admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up, bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast (chiefly British), mess, morass, shambles, imbroglio, knot, snarl, tangle

Rummage (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "at the last minute she rummaged a costume from the attic"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), hunt (down or up), learn, locate, nose out, root (out), rout (out), run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), turn up
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

  2. to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something

    "he rummaged the desk drawer trying to find the spare keys"

    similar: comb, dig (through), dredge, hunt (through), rake, ransack, rifle, scour, search, sort (through), troll
    related: frisk, pat down, shake down, audit, check (out), examine, inspect, investigate, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, ascertain, descry, detect, determine, discover, ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), learn, locate, run down, scare up, track (down), grub (about), poke (around), explore, probe, prospect, skirmish, snoop, browse, glance (over), look over, peruse, study
    near: hide, abandon, lose, ignore, neglect

Related Entry: Rummage sale (noun)

Rummage sale is a different word from Rummage. The synonyms below are for rummage sale, not for rummage.

  1. as in jumble sale

    similar: jumble sale (British), garage sale, tag sale, yard sale

Related Entry: Rummage sales (noun)

Rummage sales is a different word from Rummage. The synonyms below are for rummage sales, not for rummage.

  1. as in jumble sales

    similar: jumble sales (British), garage sales, tag sales, yard sales

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Rummage

The most common words with a similar meaning to Rummage:

agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, miscellany, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, salad

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Rummage

Words with the opposite meaning of Rummage:

miss, overlook, pass over

Related Words for Rummage

detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries, accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration, catchall, admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up, bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast, mess

Near Antonyms of Rummage

lose, mislay, misplace, misset, hide, abandon, ignore, neglect

Word Forms of Rummage

Inflections: rummaged, rummaging

Derived words: rummager (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Rummage

rummage:2

First known use: 1607i

Words & Phrases Containing Rummage

rummage sale, have a rummage

Frequently Asked Questions about Rummage

What does "Rummage" mean?

"Rummage" means to make a thorough search or investigation. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to make a thorough search or investigation. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Rummage"?

Other words for "Rummage" include agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage and crazy quilt. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Rummage" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Rummage"?

There are 149 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Rummage". Common alternatives include agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago and gallimaufry.

What is the opposite of "Rummage"?

Antonyms of "Rummage" include miss, overlook and pass over. Near antonyms include lose, mislay, misplace and misset.

How do you use "Rummage" in a sentence?

Examples of "Rummage" in a sentence: "a rummage of textbooks, notebooks, and old school papers all over the desk"; "at the last minute she rummaged a costume from the attic"; "he rummaged the desk drawer trying to find the spare keys".

Is "Rummage" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Rummage" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Rummage"?

"Rummage" is pronounced /ˈrə-mij/ and divided into syllables as rum·mage.

What is the origin of the word "Rummage"?

"Rummage" comes from rummage:2. First known use: 1607i.