Rip van Winkle
noun
Rip van Win·kle
ˌrip-(ˌ)van-ˈwiŋ-kəl 
-vən-
: a ne'er-do-well in a story in Washington Irving's Sketch Book who sleeps for 20 years
Examples of Rip van Winkle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the novel Roth’s alter ego has returned, like Rip van Winkle, to New York City from his secluded mountain redoubt.
—
George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 19 Mar. 2013
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.
George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 19 Mar. 2013
Dictionary Entries Near Rip van Winkle
Cite this Entry
“Rip van Winkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Rip%20van%20Winkle. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share