ramble

1 of 2

verb

ram·​ble ˈram-bəl 

rambled; rambling ˈram-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move aimlessly from place to place

rambled through the little town

b

: to explore idly

After one rambles through the maps for a time … some overall impressions begin to emerge.

—John Noble Wilford

2

a

: to talk or write in an aimless, erratic, and often long-winded fashion

The hunk starts to ramble on and on, and the women seem quite annoyed.

—Monk Magazine

b

: to be related or written in a long-winded or wandering fashion

a story that rambles

3

: to grow or extend irregularly

To me, pea greens are the culinary equivalent of morning glories, sprouting overnight, rambling here and there, turning the grower into a shepherd, at least for the duration.

—Molly O'Neill

transitive verb

: to wander over : roam

ramble

2 of 2

noun

1

: a leisurely excursion for pleasure

especially : an aimless walk

2

: a rambling story or discussion

Synonyms

Verb

• blather (on)
• go on
• maunder
• rattle
• run on

Noun

• excursion
• jaunt
• junket
• outing
• sally
• sashay
• sortie
• spin

Choose the Right Synonym for ramble

wander, roam, ramble, rove, traipse, meander mean to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose.

wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course.

fond of wandering about the square just watching the people

roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.

liked to roam through the woods

ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.

the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point

rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.

armed brigands roved over the countryside

traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.

the river meanders for miles through rich farmland

Examples of ramble in a Sentence

Verb

She rambled for several minutes before introducing the main speaker.

He's funny, but he tends to ramble.

Noun

We went for a ramble along the beach.

He encountered many interesting people in his rambles in the country.

The first chapter is a 100-page ramble.

We had to listen to another one of his long rambles about politics and religion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Asian Journey finds a fine balance between juicy yet good-natured conflict between participants and an amiable rambling quality that gives the travelog structure a bit of unpredictability. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 17 May 2024

At one point, the raccoon appeared to have been trapped, only to emerge triumphantly from the can for further rambling. —Victor Mather, New York Times, 16 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, probably alteration of romblen, frequentative of romen to roam

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ramble

1 of 2 verb

ram·​ble ˈram-bəl 

rambled; rambling -b(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to move from place to place for no special reason

2

: to talk or write without a clear purpose or point

3

: to grow or extend irregularly

ramble

2 of 2 noun

1

: a long stroll with no particular destination

2

: a rambling story or discussion