ramble

1 of 2

verb

ram·​ble ˈram-bəl How to pronounce ramble (audio)
rambled; rambling ˈram-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce ramble (audio)

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
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The Week The Week The Editors The risks of nominating the elderly, rambling Biden for another four years have been obvious for a long time. Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 9 Nov. 2023 He is dismissed as a paranoiac, a coward, an abuser of his authority, and his raging, rambling testimony all but seems to confirm the truth of these allegations. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2023 In addition to discussing Envy during Tuesday’s livestream, Pina spent more than 20 minutes offering at-times rambling opinions on the entire situation. Bill Donahue, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2023 Davis has great affection for the rambling mother and her minuscule attentions. Jasmine Liu, The New Republic, 24 Oct. 2023 Lee was responding to a Daily Mail article about a bizarre scene that unfolded during a rambling press conference following Biden’s landing in Vietnam. Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Sep. 2023 Many of the raw materials come from the gardens of Corrigan’s rambling Virginia Park Estate in County Cavan. Aoife O'Riordain, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2023 Running back Carson Steele, on fourth-and-1, rambled 13 yards off tackle for a score while barely touched. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023 Trump is famous for his impromptu and incendiary pronouncements, whether through his rambling speeches or his social media tirades. Eric Cortellessa, Time, 21 Aug. 2023
Noun
Nowadays, the trail offers a glorious roller-coaster ramble. Laura Beausire, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2023 There are miles of urban treks, ranging from multi-day hiking trails like the 62-mile Great Coastal Walk that links the city’s southern and northern edges, to informal neighborhood rambles. Callie Radke Stevens, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2023 Though they were not spotted during the royal ramble to Craithe Kirk on Sunday, the Duke and Duchess of York’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie reportedly arrived at Balmoral for the royal family’s annual retreat last week. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 28 Aug. 2023 Walks Around the World Find inspiration for both urban rambles and long-distance pilgrimages. Russell Shorto, New York Times, 19 June 2023 Diane Bair For a really special ramble, wander the Morris Island Trails of 7,604-acre Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge (www.fws.gov/refuge/monomoy). Pamela Wright, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023 Her uncle said Ghost did this all the time — disappeared for a ramble out on the tundra for a week or two. Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Apr. 2023 The ramble culminated with an unexpected reveal for fans of the franchise. Anousha Sakoui, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2023 Jamie Lorriman/Pool Photo via AP Prince William has poured a pint of ale and taken a ride on the subway with his wife Kate as part of a royal ramble in central London before King Charles III’s coronation. Sylvia Hui, Fortune, 4 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ramble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ramble was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ramble

Cite this Entry

“Ramble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ramble. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

ramble

1 of 2 verb
ram·​ble ˈram-bəl How to pronounce ramble (audio)
rambled; rambling -b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce ramble (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on ramble

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