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
Stanley tumblers, Owalas and other trendy water bottles are still cool this school year as well, with 37% of parents saying that their kids will want one this back-to-school season.
—
Natalie Wu, CNBC, 24 July 2025
Complete the set by adding a pair of Murano glass tumblers to your cart.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 22 July 2025
That was then used in a rock tumbler in an hours-long process, Browning-Samoni said.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 July 2025
The tumbler has a matte finish and double-wall vacuum insulation, a spill-resistant flip lid and a tapered body for a comfortable grip, keeping drinks hot for 1.5 hours and cold for 4 hours.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tumbler
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Natalie Wu, CNBC, 24 July 2025
Complete the set by adding a pair of Murano glass tumblers to your cart.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 22 July 2025
That was then used in a rock tumbler in an hours-long process, Browning-Samoni said.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 July 2025
The tumbler has a matte finish and double-wall vacuum insulation, a spill-resistant flip lid and a tapered body for a comfortable grip, keeping drinks hot for 1.5 hours and cold for 4 hours.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tumbler
Cite this Entry
“Tumbler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumbler. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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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