as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
his grandfather would always tousle the boy's neatly combed hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tousle
To round out all the looks, model Precious Lee wore her hair tousled into an updo, with just a touch of lip gloss to end the week.
—
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 2 Feb. 2024
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.
—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
See All Example Sentences for tousle
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 2 Feb. 2024
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.
—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
See All Example Sentences for tousle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousle
Verb
-
When someone has it, their immune system goes into overdrive, producing more antibodies (or immunoglobulins, hence the name) than necessary that disrupt typical organ function.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Though relatively small and obscure, the agency plays a vital role in helping to settle disputes so as to avoid labor unrest that can disrupt the free flow of commerce, according to former federal mediators and experts.—
Suhauna Hussain,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Then, around 200 million years ago, Pangaea began splitting apart, a geological breakup that formed the Atlantic Ocean, and eastern North America shuffled toward its current position on the globe.—
Alexandra Witze,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The Phillies can shuffle their rotation with the benefit of two upcoming off days.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This tactic—arresting judges for their courtroom decisions—has disturbing echoes in other countries where judicial independence has been undermined: in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey, and in other places where democracy has given way to executive supremacy.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
-
No doubt, climate change threatens to muck it all up, disturbing patterns that have existed for centuries.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Hippler said in the new order bringing more attention to it in opening statements and through expert testimony would add more time to the already lengthy trial and probably confuse the jury.—
Jean Casarez,
CNN Money,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Snakeheads are often confused with a native species—the bowfin—but anglers can tell them apart by looking at the anal fin, which is much longer on a snakehead.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tousle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousle. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share