Meaning & use
ripple
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Meanings
nouncountable
A tiny wave on the surface of water, often one of several spreading out in a circle.
Grammar: Countable: a stone makes a ripple, or many ripples.
Patterns
- ripples on something
- a ripple in something
The fish left a ripple on the still pond.
Ripples spread across the lake when the wind picked up.
A single ripple crossed the surface of the bath.
nouncountablefigurative
A small, brief change in a mood, sound or situation that gradually spreads through a group.
Grammar: Often followed by 'of' and a feeling or sound: a ripple of laughter.
Patterns
- a ripple of something
- a ripple through something
A ripple of laughter ran through the audience.
The announcement sent a ripple of concern through the office.
There was a ripple of excitement as the band walked on.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To form or move in small waves, or to make something do so.
Grammar: Can be used without an object (the water rippled) or with one (the breeze rippled the flag).
Patterns
- something ripples
- ripple something
The wheat rippled in the wind.
A light breeze rippled the surface of the river.
Muscles rippled under his shirt as he lifted the box.
verbintransitivefigurative
To spread gradually outward, affecting more people or places over time.
Grammar: Takes no object and is usually followed by 'through' or 'across': the news rippled through town.
Patterns
- ripple through something
- ripple outward
The effects of the closure rippled through the whole region.
Rumors rippled across the school by lunchtime.
Changes in interest rates ripple through the economy.
Word forms
| third person singular | ripples |
|---|---|
| past tense | rippled |
| past participle | rippled |
| -ing form | rippling |
| plural | ripples |
Common combinations
- ripple effect
- The factory closure had a ripple effect on local shops.
- ripple of laughter
- A ripple of laughter spread across the classroom.
- ripple through
- Shock rippled through the crowd.
- ripple across
- Light rippled across the pool floor.
- gentle ripple
- A gentle ripple moved along the shoreline.
- ripple of applause
- A ripple of applause greeted the speaker.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wavelet
- A wavelet is a tiny wave on water, but it is a rarer, more scientific-sounding word than ripple and has no figurative use.
- undulate
- Undulate is a formal verb for moving in smooth, rolling curves, whereas ripple suggests smaller, quicker movement.
- spread
- Spread simply means to extend over a wider area, while ripple adds the idea of a gentle, wave-like progression.
- murmur
- A murmur is a low sound of voices, whereas a ripple of sound or feeling passes through a crowd in a more visible, wave-like way.
Opposites
Word family
- rippling adjective
- moving in small waves
- rippled adjective
- having a surface marked by small waves or lines
- ripply adjective
- full of small waves; informal and rare
- ripple effect noun
- a spreading chain of consequences from a single event
Commonly confused: ripple or rapids?
ripple vs rapids
Rapids are fast, rough sections of a river, much stronger than the gentle ripples that cross calm water.
Practice
The news of the merger sent a ___ of worry through the staff.
Choose one answer.
A ripple of worry is the natural phrase for a small feeling that spreads gradually among people. Rapids is a different noun, and wave or stream do not take 'of worry' in this gentle sense as smoothly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ripple”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.