Word
jumble
Phoneticsjum·ble, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒəmbəɫ/
UK/dʒˈʌmbəl/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a messy, confused mix of things that are all mixed together. You use this when things are not in order or when you can't see clearly because of the mess.
n. a confused, disorderly mixture or collection of objects. Often used to describe a state of mental confusion or a physical mess.
Examples
“The children left a jumble of toys on the floor.”
“After the party ended, the kitchen was a total jumble of empty bottles and dirty plates.”
“The detective spent hours sorting through the jumble of paperwork on the desk, hoping to find a single document that would clear up the mystery.”
Examples
simple
“The children left a jumble of toys on the floor.”
contextual
“After the party ended, the kitchen was a total jumble of empty bottles and dirty plates.”
complex
“The detective spent hours sorting through the jumble of paperwork on the desk, hoping to find a single document that would clear up the mystery.”
Real-World Examples
“So, again as so often happens at Monaco, it became a case of waiting for something to happen such as a Safety Car period to jumble the order.” Etymology
From Middle English jumbelen, alteration of jumbren, jombren, a variant of jumpren, frequentative of jumpen (“to jump”), equal to jump + -le. More at jumber, jump, jumper.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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