as in plodding
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as in strolling
to travel by foot for exercise or pleasure
the couple enjoys ambling along the many footpaths that meander through the park
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ambling
Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026
Forget cows ambling in biodiverse pastures.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Seattle is an outdoor lover’s paradise packed with things to do in all four seasons, from summer hiking and fall leaf-peeping to winter snow sports and ambling around downtown in the spring, when the rain starts to ease up and summer crowds haven't yet arrived.
—Scott Bay, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026
Taken 34 more throw-ins than anyone in the division, but his game is about so much more than that particular set piece; has produced the most dribbles by a defender, is great on defensive duels and loves randomly ambling forward at all angles to cause carnage in the opposition third.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
And despite its ambling, almost shapeless nature, Who by Fire is never boring, because Lesage and his actors fill every scene with surprise and suspense.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Walking past the kitchen, which always smelled of spice and good food, Yazid thought of his ambling bulk and felt inadequate and experienced the loneliness that sometimes plagued him in the night.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
She was photographed ambling along Firehole River, frolicking with her young ones in the meadow in front of Old Faithful Lodge, and even seeming to pose alongside the famous geyser.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
This shaded area is worth ambling through even if children are not in tow.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Though there was a thrilling edge to their early work—the lightning-in-a-bottle sample drill of Polo Perks and Moh Baretta, that spine-tingling Pasto Flocco run—it’s been dulled a bit in favor of ambling minimalism.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026
Forget cows ambling in biodiverse pastures.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Seattle is an outdoor lover’s paradise packed with things to do in all four seasons, from summer hiking and fall leaf-peeping to winter snow sports and ambling around downtown in the spring, when the rain starts to ease up and summer crowds haven't yet arrived.
—Scott Bay, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026
Taken 34 more throw-ins than anyone in the division, but his game is about so much more than that particular set piece; has produced the most dribbles by a defender, is great on defensive duels and loves randomly ambling forward at all angles to cause carnage in the opposition third.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
And despite its ambling, almost shapeless nature, Who by Fire is never boring, because Lesage and his actors fill every scene with surprise and suspense.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Walking past the kitchen, which always smelled of spice and good food, Yazid thought of his ambling bulk and felt inadequate and experienced the loneliness that sometimes plagued him in the night.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
She was photographed ambling along Firehole River, frolicking with her young ones in the meadow in front of Old Faithful Lodge, and even seeming to pose alongside the famous geyser.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
This shaded area is worth ambling through even if children are not in tow.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambling
Adjective
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His jogging gait is a bit plodding.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
-
His two-time matchup was Alejandro Kirk, an excellent hitter but, at 5-foot-8 and 245 pounds, a plodding runner.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Not to be outdone, the Tuscany Active Culinary Walking & Hiking Tour in Italy features wine sipping, a cooking class led by an engaging Italian chef, and plenty of strolling through the countryside.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
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These days, Bailey is one of the celebrities people would be thrilled to see strolling down Hollywood Boulevard.—
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These suede clog mules are an easy choice for everything, including early bakery runs, long travel days, and wandering through mountain towns.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
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The two-day search for a missing 12-year-old girl came to a surprising end when she was discovered wandering a Dollar General store, according to investigators in North Carolina.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Just over eight minutes were remaining on the clock when the buzz kicked up inside Spectrum Center again, all because the usual main attraction was sauntering to the scorer’s table.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Jan. 2026
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The mall’s closure was a personal loss for him and many others who made lifelong memories sauntering the retail space.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Thomas missed 57 games last season, mostly because of the same lingering left hamstring issue.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
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On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Callers told police that after a brief and seemingly hostile interaction with the occupants of the vehicle, the individual left school property and was last seen walking onto Ryan Lane from Edwards Avenue.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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No walking path existed near its perimeter, underlining the fact that the castle looked down on Berkeley Springs from a position of inaccessible dominance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For this Nuggets lineup, the average comes out to a pedestrian 6-9, with three capable perimeter defenders to assist the heavy-footed centers, two 40% 3-point shooters to space the floor, and a surplus of play-making talent.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
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The Knicks whipped the ball around the perimeter before Brunson used a Towns screen as a decoy to freeze Gobert and launch a pass to Anunoby that he’s forced to catch in stride and blow past the heavy-footed center for a bucket.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambling. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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