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rumpled
/ˈrʌmpld/
creased or messy
His shirt was rumpled from sleeping in it.
His shirt looked wrinkled or untidy because he slept in it.
informal
Wrinkled or creased, especially from being crushed or handled roughly.
After the long flight, her dress was rumpled and needed ironing.
The dress looked wrinkled and untidy after the flight.
The papers on his desk were rumpled from being shoved into a bag.
The papers appeared wrinkled and disorganized.
Often describes clothing, paper, or fabric that has lost its smooth appearance due to pressure or movement.
Collocations
rumpled clothesclothes that are wrinkled or untidyrumpled hairhair that is messy or disheveledrumpled beda bed with wrinkled or disarranged sheets
Pro Tip
Describing appearance
Use 'rumpled' to highlight untidiness caused by pressure or movement, not just general messiness. For example, 'a rumpled shirt' implies it was crushed or slept in, not just dirty.
Gold Rule
Physical vs. abstract
Avoid using 'rumpled' for abstract ideas like emotions or plans—it strictly describes physical disarray.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'rumplen' (to wrinkle), likely of imitative origin, related to the sound of crumpling.
Usage Notes
Commonly used to describe physical disarray in objects like clothes, paper, or fabric. Less commonly used for abstract concepts.
Word Breakdown
rumpl-
to wrinkle or crumple
rootEnglish Dictionary