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Rigmarole: meaning, definitions and examples

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rigmarole

 

[ ˈrɪɡməˌroʊl ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

confusing situation

Rigmarole refers to a lengthy and complicated procedure or set of instructions that is often confusing and unnecessary. It can also imply a series of events that seem trivial or irrelevant. The term often highlights the absurdity of bureaucratic practices or superfluous details that can make simple tasks overly complex. In conversation, it may denote a situation where pointless details are emphasized to the detriment of clarity. Overall, rigmarole captures the essence of convoluted communication or plans.

Synonyms

babble, fuss, nonsense, procedure

Examples of usage

  • The meeting was filled with rigmarole that wasted everyone's time.
  • He explained the rigmarole of the application process, leaving us bewildered.
  • There's always so much rigmarole before we can finally start the project.

Translations

Translations of the word "rigmarole" in other languages:

🇵🇹 confusão

🇮🇳 बेतुकी बातें

🇩🇪 Wirrwarr

🇮🇩 kerumitan

🇺🇦 безлад

🇵🇱 zamieszanie

🇯🇵 混乱

🇫🇷 baratin

🇪🇸 confusión

🇹🇷 karışıklık

🇰🇷 혼란

🇸🇦 فوضى

🇨🇿 zmatek

🇸🇰 zmätok

🇨🇳 混乱

🇸🇮 zmedeno

🇮🇸 rugl

🇰🇿 бұзылыс

🇬🇪 დაურა

🇦🇿 qarışıq

🇲🇽 confusión

Etymology

The term 'rigmarole' has an interesting etymological history, tracing its roots back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated from a variation of the phrase 'ragman roll,' which referred to a long roll of parchment containing a list of names signed as a pledge to adhere to a particular agreement. Over time, the concept evolved to denote any lengthy, complicated, and often absurd series of events or instructions. The transformation of 'ragman roll' into 'rigmarole' reflected a shift in usage from formal documents to informal descriptions of convoluted explanations or bureaucratic red tape. By the 19th century, 'rigmarole' became widely used in English to highlight processes that are unnecessarily complex or verbose, often carrying a negative connotation regarding clarity and efficiency in communication.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,580 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.