amble

1 of 3

verb

am·​ble ˈam-bəl 

ambled; ambling ˈam-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to go at or as if at an easy gait : saunter

spent the day ambling through the park

ambler

ˈam-b(ə-)lər 

noun

amble

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

a

: an easy gait of a horse in which the legs on the same side of the body move together

b

: rack entry 5 sense b

2

: an easy gait

3

: a leisurely walk

took a casual amble through the gardens

ambler

3 of 3

noun (2)

am·​bler ˈam-b(ə-)lər 

plural -s

: one that ambles

especially : an ambling horse

Synonyms of amble

Verb

• stroll
• saunter
• wander
• walk

Noun (1)

• stroll
• walk

Examples of amble in a Sentence

Verb

We ambled along as we talked.

They ambled down the road.

Noun (1)

we had a lovely amble about the quaint village before continuing our drive

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Then amble over to the 360 Dome for a cocktail at the coffin bar. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

That same day, she was photographed ambling down a picturesque street in a striking purple short set, casually holding an Aperol spritz. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026

Noun

The next generation On the banks of the Central Arizona Project canal in Phoenix, city water manager Max Wilson stood on a gravel road above the steady amble of blue-green water. — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

My favorite, Double Arch, is easily reachable on a half-mile amble. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 23 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English amblen "(of a horse) to go at an amble, go at an easy gait," borrowed from Anglo-French ambler, aumbler (in present participle amblant) (continental Old French anbler), going back to Latin ambulāre "to go on foot, walk, walk for pleasure or health, travel," from amb- "around, about" + -ulāre, probably going back to a verb base *al-, going back to Indo-European *h₂elh₂- "wander," whence also Umbrian amboltu "(s/he) must go around," Greek aláomai, alâsthai "to wander, roam," Latvian aluôt "to go astray" — more at ambient entry 1

Noun (1)

Middle English ambel, in part borrowed from Middle French amble (going back to Old French, noun derivative of ambler "to amble entry 1"), in part noun derivative of amblen "to amble entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English, from amblen + -er

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for amble

• bramble
• gamble
• ramble
• scramble
• preamble

Kids Definition

amble

1 of 2 verb

am·​ble ˈam-bəl 

ambled; ambling -b(ə-)liŋ 

: to go at an amble

ambler

-b(ə-)lər 

noun

amble

2 of 2 noun

1

: an easy gait of a horse in which the legs on the same side of the body move together

2

: a leisurely way of walking

Etymology

Verb

Middle English amblen "to walk in a leisurely manner," from early French ambler (same meaning), from Latin ambulare "to walk" — related to ambulance see Word History at ambulance