Standard Lemma guide

rummage

name · noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /ˈɹʌm.ɪd͡ʒ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌmɪdʒ
  • CMU ARPABET: R AH1 M IH0 JH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A surname from German.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A thorough search, usually resulting in disorder.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Have a rummage through the attic and see if you can find anything worth selling.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Commotion; disturbance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A disorganized collection of miscellaneous objects; a jumble.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a ship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The act of stowing cargo; the pulling and moving about of packages incident to close stowage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: romage

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To search a vessel for smuggled goods.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: nautical, transport

Examples

  • After the long voyage, the customs officers rummaged the ship.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To search something thoroughly and with disregard for the way in which things were arranged.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • She rummaged her purse in search of the keys.
  • The burglars rummaged the entire house for cash and jewellery.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To hastily search for something in a confined space and among many items by carelessly turning things over or pushing things aside; dig through carelessly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • She rummaged in the drawers trying to find the missing sock.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ransack, rifle, trawl

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he gave the attic a good rummage but couldn't find his skis

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ransacking

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: search, hunt, hunting

12

noun

Meaning 12

a jumble of things to be given away

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: clutter, jumble, muddle, fuddle, mare's nest, welter, smother

13

verb

Meaning 13

search haphazardly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We rummaged through the drawers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: search

History

Etymology

Americanized spelling of German Rometsch.

From Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage (compare French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (compare French arrimer and Spanish arrumar).

Across languages

Translations

89 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: тършуване (tǎršuvane) — thorough search, usually resulting in disorder
  • Bulgarian: ровене (rovene) — thorough search, usually resulting in disorder
  • Finnish: penkominen — thorough search, usually resulting in disorder
  • Bulgarian: бъркотия (bǎrkotija) — disorganized collection of miscellaneous objects
  • Finnish: sekamelska — disorganized collection of miscellaneous objects
  • Bulgarian: трюм (trjum) — nautical: place or room for the stowage of cargo
  • Finnish: ruuma — nautical: place or room for the stowage of cargo
  • Finnish: ahtaminen — nautical: act of stowing cargo
  • Finnish: ahtaa — to arrange something in the hold of a ship
  • Aromanian: gurnjescu — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Bulgarian: претърсвам (pretǎrsvam) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Catalan: furgar — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Catalan: remenar — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Chinese Mandarin: 翻尋 /翻寻 (fānxún) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Cimbrian: büulan — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Finnish: penkoa — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • French: fouiller — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Galician: cachear — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Galician: remexer — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • German: durchwühlen — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Greek: σκαλίζω (skalízo) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Gujarati: ફેંદવું (phěndvũ) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Hebrew: חיטט (khitét) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Irish: tiomsaigh — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Italian: frugare — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Italian: rovistare — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Japanese: 漁る (asaru) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Japanese: 引っ掻き回す (hikkamawasu) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Māori: paraketu — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Māori: hurahura — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Norwegian: gjennomsøke — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Portuguese: vasculhar — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Romanian: scotoci — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Romanian: cotrobăi — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Russian: ры́ться (rýtʹsja) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Russian: копа́ться (kopátʹsja) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Northern Sami: boltut — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Spanish: papelear — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Swedish: rota — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Tagalog: halughog — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Thai: คุ้ย (kúi) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Thai: ค้น (kón) — (intransitive) to search something which contains many items
  • Bulgarian: тършувам (tǎršuvam) — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Catalan: regirar — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Finnish: penkoa — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Finnish: koluta — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • French: fouiller — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Galician: cachear — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Galician: remexer — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • German: durchwühlen — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Gujarati: ફેંદવું (phěndvũ) — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Italian: rivoltare — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Italian: scuriosare — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Italian: buttare all'aria — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Korean: 뒤지다 (dwijida) — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Korean: 헤집다 (hejipda) — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Norwegian: endevende — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Portuguese: revolver — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Portuguese: esgravatar — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Portuguese: vasculhar — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Portuguese: revirar — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Russian: обы́скивать (obýskivatʹ) — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Russian: обша́ривать (obšárivatʹ) — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Spanish: revolver — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Spanish: hurgar — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Spanish: hurguetear — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Spanish: jurungar — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Swedish: rota — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Tagalog: halughog — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Thai: รื้อ (rʉ́ʉ) — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Welsh: chwilio — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Welsh: chwilenna — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Welsh: chwilota — (transitive) to search something thoroughly and with disregard
  • Bulgarian: ровя (rovja) — to hastily search for
  • Finnish: penkoa — to hastily search for
  • French: fouiller — to hastily search for
  • German: wühlen — to hastily search for
  • German: stöbern — to hastily search for
  • Italian: rovistare — to hastily search for
  • Italian: frugare — to hastily search for
  • Italian: spulciare — to hastily search for
  • Italian: armeggiare — to hastily search for
  • Norwegian: grovsøke — to hastily search for
  • Norwegian Bokmål: rote rundt i — to hastily search for
  • Norwegian Bokmål: omkalfatre — to hastily search for
  • Portuguese: fuçar — to hastily search for
  • Russian: ры́ться (rýtʹsja) — to hastily search for
  • Russian: копа́ться (kopátʹsja) — to hastily search for
  • Tagalog: halughog — to hastily search for