amble

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

Synonyms of amble

• stroll
• saunter
• wander
• walk

Examples of amble in a Sentence

We ambled along as we talked.

They ambled down the road.

Recent Examples on the Web

As a person ambles around a sculpture, perspectives multiply; interpretations are born and dissolved; shadows play on the surface and complicate the interpretive field, making hair look like spaghetti or a nostril look angry. —Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

When Coleman ambled onstage, the audience gasped and broke into applause. —David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026

And his discussion of Turgenev’s The Singers, an ambling story that leads us to a singing competition in an inn, reveals a much quieter social reversal. —Literary Hub, 20 May 2026

The two ambled around the metal gates that keep out the people who don’t belong in the official areas, circled around the paved walkway and made their way toward the Aronimink clubhouse. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

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