rummage

1 of 2

verb

rum·​mage ˈrə-mij 

rummaged; rummaging

intransitive verb

1

: to make a thorough search or investigation

2

: to engage in an undirected or haphazard search

transitive verb

1

: to make a thorough search through : ransack

rummaged the attic

2

: to examine minutely and completely

3

: to discover by searching

rummager noun

rummage

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a confused miscellaneous collection

b

: items for sale at a rummage sale

2

: a thorough search especially among a confusion of objects

Synonyms

Verb

• 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

Noun

• 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

Examples of rummage in a Sentence

Verb

He rummaged through the attic for his baseball card collection.

He rummaged in his pocket for the receipt.

I heard you rummaging around in the refrigerator.

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Foxes rummage for opportunities, wary of complacency and getting too tied down. —Nate Silver, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2024

Two years ago, while rummaging through old filing cabinets at Hayes Farm — a former slave plantation in North Carolina — antiques appraiser Ken Farmer made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. —Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 24 Sep. 2024

Noun

Xavieran Mission Festival: Live music, dinner specials, rummage and bake sale, 3-11 p.m. June 24; noon-7 p.m. June 25. —Elaine Rewolinski, Journal Sentinel, 1 June 2023

The only products not allowed are antiques and rummage. —Erik S. Hanley, Journal Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

obsolete English romage act of stowing cargo, modification of Middle French arrimage, from arrimer to stow, from a- (from Latin ad-) + -rimer, from Middle English rimen to open up, make room for, from Old English rȳman — more at ream

First Known Use

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing rummage

• have a rummage
• rummage sale

Kids Definition

rummage

1 of 2 verb

rum·​mage ˈrəm-ij 

rummaged; rummaging

: to make an active search especially by moving, turning, or looking through the contents of a place or container

rummaging through the attic

rummage

2 of 2 noun

: a confused miscellaneous collection of articles