ramble

verb

ram·ble | \ ˈram-bəl

rambled; rambling\ ˈram-b(ə-)liŋ

Definition of ramble

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : 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

2a : 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

noun

Definition of ramble (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a leisurely excursion for pleasure especially : an aimless walk

2 : a rambling story or discussion

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about ramble

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Choose the Right Synonym for ramble

Verb

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

Arthur Rathburn expressed no regrets during rambling remarks to a federal judge. — Fox News, "Michigan man jailed for selling body parts infected with HIV, hepatitis," 23 May 2018 Just minutes from Cannes, the rambling Château de la Napoule stretches along a Mediterranean beach. — Laura Van Straaten, Town & Country, "Château de la Napoule Is the Most Interesting House in the South of France," 6 June 2019 Photo by Tony Luong The rambling ranch house of John and Linda Meyers—the creative couple behind Wary Meyers, a soap and candle company—is the ultimate live-work space. — Samantha Weiss Hills, Curbed, "9 maximalist interiors that get the style right," 4 Sep. 2018 The ornate, rambling main building can be seen from South Ocean Boulevard immediately north of Southern Boulevard, and from the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway and ocean. — Si Liberman, USA TODAY, "Mar-a-Lago: An insider's view of Trump's Florida estate," 7 Mar. 2018 By turns chiding and goading, Biden, who can sometimes ramble and meander with long anecdotes, offered one of his most coherent rationales for seeking the presidency. — The Washington Post, The Mercury News, "Biden, Trump travel to Iowa, trade insults," 11 June 2019 This little book samples his rambling chats with friend Traubel in the last years of Whitman’s life. — John Timpane, https://www.inquirer.com, "Big summer books for 2019 by Mark Haddon, Elizabeth Gilbert, Colson Whitehead, Tan France," 5 June 2019 Back at the Firetower, Hopkins readied himself for another mountaintop ramble. — Mark Rozzo, Town & Country, "Introducing Blackberry Mountain, the Idyllic New Resort from Blackberry Farm," 11 Feb. 2019 Though the speakers’ opinions are engrossing, no less so is the manner of expression of each one of them, from d’Alembert, who rambles on like a science-fiction-style mad scientist, to Mlle de Lespinasse, with her candid, searching questions. — Dan Hofstadter, WSJ, "‘Diderot’ Review: Wherever His Mind Led Him," 15 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Three via ferratas race along the cliffs in the 123-square-mile Saguenay Fjords National Park, including La Grande Dalle, a 656-foot-high ramble across a gigantic vertical slab. — The Editors, Outside Online, "The Best Road Trips in North America," 10 June 2019 Our splendid ramble traces the southern edge of Ennerdale Water, the park’s most westerly lake—and one of its most remote. — National Geographic, "Hiking England Coast to Coast," 12 June 2019 This downtown ramble begins in NoHo, where three strong galleries cluster on Great Jones Street. — Jason Farago, New York Times, "10 Galleries to Visit Now Around SoHo and TriBeCa," 26 Apr. 2018 If the streaming revolution is going to reduce every show to a plotless ramble through an alternate world, why not this one? — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 2 is a dazzling confection with a slightly bitter aftertaste," 5 Dec. 2018 Fortunately, the portion of the Sea Beach line the pair chose for their ramble has been closed to train traffic for station rehabilitation. — Sarah Maslin Nir, The Seattle Times, "Not Your Average Subway Delay: Hungry Goats on the Tracks," 20 Aug. 2018 Flagstaff: Kachina Trail This high-country ramble delivers a big-mountain experience with no real climbing, bless its woodsy heart. — Roger Naylor, azcentral, "10 best hikes in Arizona show off state's diverse scenery," 13 July 2018 British Car Day Fancy a ramble through ye olde park whilst perusing the finest motor cars from dear old Blighty? — Luann Gibbs, Cincinnati.com, "Top 5 events in Cincinnati this weekend," 6 July 2018 The initial ramble of the movie, before things get dire, is brilliantly staged by Farhadi, who gently introduces a web of relationships without clunky exposition, while infusing the happy proceedings with a tantalizing hint of impending dread. — Richard Lawson, HWD, "Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem Kick Off Cannes with Gloomy Melodrama," 9 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ramble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.