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
Rhonda Shafner"He never got upset, never got ruffled," Colonel William Peoples, one of his former commanders, recalls.—Barry Werth
Barry Werth2
a
: adorned or trimmed with ruffles
They begin with a fiesta of old-time flamenco style in old-time heavy, ruffled costumes.—Elizabeth Zimmer
Elizabeth ZimmerBut 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
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
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
Ashton subtly showed off her growing bump in a flowing, ruffled pale blue silk crêpe gown and matching cape by British designer Emilia Wickstead.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The ruffled tier skirt highlights a slender silhouette.
—Jean Chen Smith, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
In a video of the try-on, Momsen, topless, with a white ruffled underskirt around her waist, gets help from stylist Lindsey Hartman in painstakingly sliding the red, white and green costume on over her arms.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Dec. 2025
Autumn Princess® turns a lovely ruby shade, providing winter color to rival its ruffled pink blooms.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruffled
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Hannah Malach, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The ruffled tier skirt highlights a slender silhouette.
—Jean Chen Smith, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
In a video of the try-on, Momsen, topless, with a white ruffled underskirt around her waist, gets help from stylist Lindsey Hartman in painstakingly sliding the red, white and green costume on over her arms.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Dec. 2025
Autumn Princess® turns a lovely ruby shade, providing winter color to rival its ruffled pink blooms.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruffled
Cite this Entry
“Ruffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruffled. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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