as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
his grandfather would always tousle the boy's neatly combed hair
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Recent Examples of tousle
The waves weren't precise or uniform in shape, but rather looked as though they'd been styled with a three-barrel iron, then roughed up and tousled for an undone finish.
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Kara Nesvig, Allure, 25 Jan. 2024
For that morning’s scene, her light-auburn hair had been artfully curled and tousled by her longtime hairdresser, Frédéric Souquet.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2023
Both the royal and the presidential couples appeared to struggle with a strong wind, which tousled Macron’s hair and forced Camilla to hold on tightly to her pink, beret-style hat.
—Sylvie Corbet, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2023
Follow-up videos then showed the mom-of-four posing with her hair tousled to one side and pouting her lips with a hand held up to her face.
—Jill Lupupa, Peoplemag, 28 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for tousle 
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 25 Jan. 2024
For that morning’s scene, her light-auburn hair had been artfully curled and tousled by her longtime hairdresser, Frédéric Souquet.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2023
Both the royal and the presidential couples appeared to struggle with a strong wind, which tousled Macron’s hair and forced Camilla to hold on tightly to her pink, beret-style hat.
—Sylvie Corbet, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2023
Follow-up videos then showed the mom-of-four posing with her hair tousled to one side and pouting her lips with a hand held up to her face.
—Jill Lupupa, Peoplemag, 28 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for tousle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousle
Verb
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Plus, certain top-tier or niche publications could see their brand value rise as AI disrupts the media landscape.Eleanor Hawkins, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024
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Then the pandemic hit, disrupting supply chains and sending prices inching up.Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In other words, the 2023 offseason was the Celtics' last real shot to shuffle their supporting cast around Brown and Tatum.Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
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In addition, both received the Order of the British Empire in different years (2003 and 2017, respectively), and some tabloid media are shuffling the possibility of their knighthood.Nuria Luis, Glamour, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Warmer waters as a result of climate change and krill harvesting could be disturbing traditional humpback feeding grounds, forcing whales to go farther and farther to find food.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
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One was arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer and disturbing the public’s business, LAPD Sgt.David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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These tools blur the line between reality and fiction, which can confuse audiences, especially younger viewers.Gerui Wang, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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However, her version is not to be confused with the film’s official soundtrack.Angel Saunders, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near tousle
Cite this Entry
“Tousle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousle. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
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