tramped; tramping; tramps
1
: to walk, tread, or step especially heavily
tramped loudly on the stairs
2
a
: to travel about on foot : hike
b
: to journey as a tramp
1
: to tread on forcibly and repeatedly
2
: to travel or wander through or over on foot
have tramped all the woods on their property
tramper
noun
plural tramps
1
a
b
: a person who travels on foot
2
a
disparaging
: a woman who has multiple sexual partners : a woman who is promiscuous
b
disparaging
: a woman who engages in sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay : a woman who is a sex worker
3
: a walking trip : hike
4
: the succession of sounds made by the beating of feet on a surface (such as a road, pavement, or floor)
5
: an iron plate to protect the sole of a shoe
6
: a ship not making regular trips but taking cargo when and where it offers and to any port
called also tramp steamer
Examples of tramp in a Sentence
Verb
We spent the day tramping through the woods.
He tramped the streets looking for his dog.
Noun
a tramp through the woods
the police encouraged the tramps who were sleeping in the park to spend the bitterly cold night in the homeless shelter
Recent Examples on the Web
Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2025
In the right of the picture, a platoon of soldiers, heavily armed and preceded by a pair of gun carriages, tramp through a defile.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2024
On March 7, 1913, rescuers were desperately searching the same waters for survivors of the Alum Cine, a British tramp steamer, that exploded while being loaded with 350 tons of dynamite (nine boxcars’ worth) that was bound to Panama for construction of the canal that was underway.
—Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 28 Mar. 2024
Michael Denning, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2015
Probably not another tramp stamp but who knows.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tramp
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Verb
Teams hike across waterways, tramp under overpasses and scour parks for signs of tents.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2025
In the right of the picture, a platoon of soldiers, heavily armed and preceded by a pair of gun carriages, tramp through a defile.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
Daniels’ first foray into the horror genre shot to No. 1 on Netflix after dropping Aug. 30, which may have a little bit — or a whole lot — to do with Close, who clearly had the time of her life playing a tramp named Alberta.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2024
On March 7, 1913, rescuers were desperately searching the same waters for survivors of the Alum Cine, a British tramp steamer, that exploded while being loaded with 350 tons of dynamite (nine boxcars’ worth) that was bound to Panama for construction of the canal that was underway.
—Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 28 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Docks depended on a circulating pool of male maritime workers—crews of seamen and stokers who manned the tramp steamers, gangs of longshoremen, and stevedores who loaded and unloaded goods, as well as artisans and machinists who maintained and repaired the ships and trains.
—Michael Denning, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2015
Probably not another tramp stamp but who knows.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tramp
Cite this Entry
“Tramp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tramp. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tramp
1 of 2 verb
ˈtramp 
senses 1 & 2 are also ˈträmp,
ˈtrȯmp
1
: to walk heavily
2
: to tread on forcibly and repeatedly
3
: to travel or wander through on foot
tramp the streets
tramper
noun
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