Synonyms for ruffle

Most common

pucker · rile · prance · sashay · fluff · wrinkle · plait · pleat

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

Noun

Antonyms

please

All antonyms of ruffle →

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To disturb; especially, to cause to flutter.

   The wind ruffled the papers.

2. v. 2

   To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric.

   Ruffle the end of the cuff.

3. n. 1

   Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.

   She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem.

4. n. 2

   Disturbance; agitation; commotion.

   to put the mind in a ruffle

Related words

Phrases

ruffle up ruffle some feathers dust ruffle ruffle someone's feathers bed ruffle

Forms

Plural

ruffles → disturbances, bustles, frays, agitations…

Past participle

ruffled
e.g. ruffled → disturbed, unsettled, agitated, perturbed…

Example sentences

• pucker "Mary's lemon pie will make you pucker up and implode," said Tom.
• prance Don't prance about. Sit down and pay attention.
• fluff Let's see if I can't fluff up your pillow.
• wrinkle With her foot she smoothed a wrinkle in the throw rug.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters

mix¹, vex¹

4 letters

cock¹, drum¹, stir¹, fray¹, ruff¹, rile¹

5 letters

worry², upset², devil², flick¹, strut¹, fluff¹, pique¹, plait¹, frill¹, pleat¹

6 letters

bother², gather², ripple², flurry², edging², bustle², molest², nettle², choker, pucker², prance¹, cockle², rumple², riffle²

7 letters

trouble², disturb², shuffle², swagger², flutter², wrinkle², agitate³, perturb², flounce¹, fluster², roughen

8 letters

disorder³, irritate³, unsettle³, brouhaha³, undulate³, furbelow

9 letters

confusion³, agitation⁴, commotion³, corrugate³

11 letters

disturbance³

12 letters

perturbation⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (worry² = 2 syllables).