1
2
: a drinking glass without foot or stem and originally with pointed or convex base
3
a
: a movable obstruction in a lock (such as a lever, latch, wheel, slide, or pin) that must be adjusted to a particular position (as by a key) before the bolt can be thrown
b
: a piece on which the mainspring acts in a gun's lock
4
: a device or mechanism for tumbling (such as a revolving cage in which clothes are dried)
5
: a worker who operates a tumbler
Examples of tumbler in a Sentence
She drank a tumbler of water.
a gymnast who's a skillful tumbler
Recent Examples on the Web
Popular refillable stainless steel tumblers Stanley Cups are no longer allowed on some Disneyland attractions, according to a report from the New York Post.
—
Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
The viral Stanley Quencher tumbler is, of course, on our list of must-have water bottles.
—Claire Peltier, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
The Las Vegas performer who sued Taylor Swift for trademark infringement last week is asking a federal judge to drop the curtain on any drink tumblers, brushes, or other merchandise bearing Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl album title while the case proceeds.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
This 22-ounce tumbler is marked down under $20 (which is how much a tumbler should be, honestly).
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tumbler
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Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
The viral Stanley Quencher tumbler is, of course, on our list of must-have water bottles.
—Claire Peltier, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
The Las Vegas performer who sued Taylor Swift for trademark infringement last week is asking a federal judge to drop the curtain on any drink tumblers, brushes, or other merchandise bearing Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl album title while the case proceeds.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
This 22-ounce tumbler is marked down under $20 (which is how much a tumbler should be, honestly).
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tumbler
Cite this Entry
“Tumbler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumbler. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tumbler
noun
tum·bler
ˈtəm-blər 
1
: a person (as an acrobat) who tumbles
2
: a pigeon that often tumbles backward in flight
3
: a drinking glass
a water tumbler
4
: a movable part in a lock that must be adjusted (as by a key) before the lock will open
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