per·am·bu·late
pə-ˈram-byə-ˌlāt 
perambulated; perambulating
1
: to travel over or through especially on foot : traverse
2
: to make an official inspection of (a boundary) on foot
per·am·bu·la·tion
ˌpər‧ˌa- also pə̄ˌra-
plural -s
1
a
: an act of walking about : a tour on foot : stroll
his perambulation to the river for his midday bath is a progress in the grand manner—
Alan Moorehead
Alan Moorehead
b
: an official act or ceremony of walking around an area (as a town, parish, forest) to assert and record its boundaries and thereby maintain the rights of possession
c
: an act of traveling through and inspecting an area
spent his whole reign … in a perambulation or survey of the Roman Empire—Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon2
: a written account of a perambulation
3
: the boundary or extent of an area as determined by walking its perimeter
enlarged the perambulations of what they had—Edmund Hickeringill
Edmund Hickeringill4
obsolete
: a comprehensive account : survey
a … perambulation of learning—Francis Bacon
Francis BaconExamples of perambulate in a Sentence
Verb
we decided to lazily perambulate the entire length of the esplanade and enjoy the fresh air
long summer evenings spent perambulating up and down the tree-lined streets of the quaint village
Recent Examples on the Web
Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Hunter, who’s called upon to bring a dynamic physicality to Solange, perambulating with the assistance of a considerably loud walker, is agonizing and entertaining as a controlling Southern Belle whose microaggressions (and incontinence) eventually pushes her daughter-in-law to the edge.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024
The franchise has moved continually west, perambulating from Rochester to Cincinnati to Kansas City (and, briefly, Omaha, as well), and finally, in 1985, to Sacramento, where its parched fans are enjoying their first playoff run since 2006.
—Bob Ryan, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Apr. 2023
Sentences tend to perambulate only to land in fresh territory.
—Karen Heller, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023
Bridge Street is one of Huntsville’s five Arts & Entertainment Districts, in which guests may perambulate outdoors with open containers of alcoholic beverages purchased at businesses within that district.
—Matt Wake | [email protected], al, 22 Sep. 2022
Conveniently, Grey’s brother, Lord Melton, happens to be perambulating with Geneva and Isobel while Grey and Jamie are talking.
—Roxane Gay, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2017
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Verb
Meanwhile, Soames perambulates a park with Irene, examining works of art in progress.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Hunter, who’s called upon to bring a dynamic physicality to Solange, perambulating with the assistance of a considerably loud walker, is agonizing and entertaining as a controlling Southern Belle whose microaggressions (and incontinence) eventually pushes her daughter-in-law to the edge.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024
The franchise has moved continually west, perambulating from Rochester to Cincinnati to Kansas City (and, briefly, Omaha, as well), and finally, in 1985, to Sacramento, where its parched fans are enjoying their first playoff run since 2006.
—Bob Ryan, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Apr. 2023
Sentences tend to perambulate only to land in fresh territory.
—Karen Heller, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023
Bridge Street is one of Huntsville’s five Arts & Entertainment Districts, in which guests may perambulate outdoors with open containers of alcoholic beverages purchased at businesses within that district.
—Matt Wake | [email protected], al, 22 Sep. 2022
Conveniently, Grey’s brother, Lord Melton, happens to be perambulating with Geneva and Isobel while Grey and Jamie are talking.
—Roxane Gay, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Perambulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perambulate. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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