rambles; rambled; rambling
1
always followed by an adverb or preposition
: to walk or go from one place to another place without a specific goal, purpose, or direction
He often rambled [=roamed] around/about the countryside in an old truck.
She rambled [=wandered] along the riverbank.
—sometimes used figurativelyThe trail rambles [=meanders] through the woods for miles.
2
: to go from one subject to another without any clear purpose or direction
She rambled for several minutes before introducing the main speaker.
He's funny, but he tends to ramble.
—often + onThe novel's first chapter rambles on for about 100 pages.
plural rambles
1
chiefly British
: a long walk for pleasure
We went for a ramble along the beach.
He encountered many interesting people in his rambles in the country.
2
: a long speech or piece of writing that goes from one subject to another without any clear purpose or direction
The first chapter is a 100-page ramble.
We had to listen to another one of his long rambles about politics and religion.
Cite this Entry
“Ramble.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/ramble. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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