rampage

rampage — verb

1. to rush through a place in a furious, destructive way, damaging objects and crea

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to rush through a place in a furious, destructive way, damaging objects and creating disorder nearby

Example

Sora watched as a bull rampaged through the vegetable garden, destroying the crops.

rampage through [place] — movement pattern

Angry fans rampaged through the streets after the match, smashing windows and damaging cars.

rampage + after [event] — causal trigger

Common collocations
  • rampage through
  • rampage across
  • rampage along
  • fans rampaged
  • bull rampaged
  • protesters rampaged
Synonyms
  • storm

    focuses on moving fast and forcefully, not necessarily causing damage

  • tear through

    less formal, suggests speed and energy more than destruction

  • run wild

    suggests uncontrolled behaviour, often without direct damage

Grammar Patterns

rampage + through/across/along + place

Usage Note

The verb is almost always followed by a preposition — most commonly 'through' or 'across' — that names the area being damaged.

Common Mistakes

The angry crowd rampaged the streets.
The angry crowd rampaged through the streets.
'rampage' as a verb requires a preposition before the location.

rampage — noun

Word family

  • rampaging
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Rampage, frenzy, riot, outburst, and spree all describe uncontrolled or wild behaviour, but they differ in scope and cause. A rampage involves destructive movement through an area, often with physical damage to property. Frenzy focuses on the mental state of extreme excitement or agitation and does not require movement or destruction. Riot refers specifically to a violent public disturbance by a crowd, not an individual. Outburst is a sudden emotional display — anger, laughter, or tears — that is often verbal rather than physical. Spree suggests a period of unrestrained activity tied to a single theme, like shopping, drinking, or crime. For example: 'Fans went on a rampage through the city centre' implies smashing and damaging things, whereas 'He went on a shopping spree' suggests spending money wildly.

rampage ↗frenzy ↗riot ↗outburstspree

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • go on a rampage
  • on the rampage
  • a rampage of

Prepositions

Etymology

ScotsOld FrenchEnglish

Rampage comes from the Scots word 'ramp', meaning to rage or storm. This word traces back to Old French 'ramper', which originally meant to creep or climb but later took on the sense of raving or rampaging. The '-age' suffix turns the action into a noun, giving us the modern sense of wild, destructive behaviour since the 1700s.