ruffled

adjective

ruf·​fled ˈrə-fəld 

1

: affected by a loss of calmness or composure

… he is reserved and gracious, though gets a bit ruffled when asked about things he considers too personal …

—Rhonda Shafner

"He never got upset, never got ruffled," Colonel William Peoples, one of his former commanders, recalls.

—Barry Werth

2

a

: adorned or trimmed with ruffles

They begin with a fiesta of old-time flamenco style in old-time heavy, ruffled costumes.

—Elizabeth Zimmer

But she had lost some of Todd's starchy look, and the tank top and shorts she was wearing suited her better than the ruffled things she'd favored as a child.

—Deborah Eisenberg

b(1)

of a plant : having flowers or leaves with wavy edges

ruffled gladiolas

(2)

of a flower, petal, or leaf : having wavy edges

ruffled rose petals

ruffled kale leaves

Moss rose (Portulaca grandifolia) loves the sun and is a tough beauty with satiny, ruffled flowers and a drought-resistant nature.

—Irene Virag

c

of a bird : having the feathers erected in or like a ruff see ruff entry 2 sense 2

a ruffled owl

Examples of ruffled in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Take Sean Spicer, who followed up his brief and ignominious run as Trump’s press secretary by immediately donning a ruffled neon shirt and dancing the flamenco (poorly) on DWTS’s 28th season. —Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024

Amal, meanwhile, wore one of this year’s hottest hues — butter yellow — donning a plunging lace gown featuring a ruffled skirt. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 1 Sep. 2024

Unlike Kate Hudson's rom-com heroine, however, Amal's gown featured boning on the bodice, a cascading, ruffled skirt, and lots of lace. —Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2024

The strapless minidress featured a crushed fabric in metallic gold with elements of red on the ruffled skirt of the dress and the inseam of the caped coat. —Julia Teti, WWD, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing ruffled

• ruffled the feathers of