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ambling 1 of 2

adjective

as in plodding

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ambling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of amble
as in strolling
to travel by foot for exercise or pleasure the couple enjoys ambling along the many footpaths that meander through the park

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ambling
Verb
That same day, she was photographed ambling down a picturesque street in a striking purple short set, casually holding an Aperol spritz. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026 Bear #132’s cub managed to survive and was reunited with its family after several days ambling alone. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 22 Sep. 2026 Despite his slow, ambling movement, Lee is always one step ahead of other cops, even in a foot chase where both men run at a shambling, sluggish pace. — Jake Cole, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026 Take a break at the rooftop Skywalker Grill before ambling to the library and grounds. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Day is ambling around on job search sites, trying to put her graphic design degree to work. — Lindsey Bahr, Boston Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 In surveillance video provided by police, two young men wearing hoodies, with their hoods up, and surgical-style face masks, are seen quickly ambling down the sidewalk. — Lincoln Anderson, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026 The highway patrol’s video snippet ended with the man still holding the blades and ambling down an embankment to the highway while an officer pointed a gun at him. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 According to a Facebook post shared by Real County Animal Rescue-Shelter, Gracie was still missing as of noon on June 22, and had last been seen ambling by a game camera west of Leakey. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambling
  1. plodding
  2. strolling
  3. loitering
  4. wandering
  5. lingering
  6. sauntering
  7. heavy-footed
  8. walking
Adjective
  • Bennie Liebenberg, a former geologist at the mine who was serving as our guide, has the plodding, slightly wide-eyed manner of someone who has spent a lot of time underground.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
  • During the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, activists from the gay community lambasted him and his institute for the plodding pace of research on the virus.
    — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Definition of plodding
Verb
  • Beneath the balcony, this street, witness to and confidante of the entire twenty-three years of these young people’s lives, was languishing in the fragrant July night, densely thronged with strolling city dwellers even now.
    — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026
  • So after strolling through that same doorway Saturday, Mahomes picked up his phone, snapped some photos of the place and texted a few of them to his former teammates.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of strolling
Adjective
  • Some victim advocates say human trafficking along Figueroa has escalated since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rollback of anti-loitering laws.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of loitering
Verb
  • The half-day Istanbul tour was amazing, with a visit to Zeyrek Mosque, exploring the Basilica Cistern, and wandering the Spice Market, alive with the most fragrant foodstuffs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • More hours won’t help if your attention has started wandering and your patience is gone.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of wandering
Adjective
  • Shohei Ohtani returned to the top of the Dodgers’ lineup Monday after four days off to address lingering aches, as the club effectively pauses its pitching program for the two-way star.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • No more distractions, no more lingering questions, just a baller who loves this sport and continues to level up.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • The charter Girardeau sailed with was about four miles out and almost at the its trip when word of the hammerhead was radioed out — the crew decided to take a chance and sped up the coast 15 minutes to see the shark still sauntering in the sea.
    — Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Before sauntering down the stairwell to the dressing room, Stones stopped to sign autographs for fans in Inter’s pitchside hospitality suites.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of sauntering
Adjective
  • 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
  • Post struggled in his first go, thrown into the fire against the best team in the league that plays a style designed to punish heavy-footed centers.
    — Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025
Definition of heavy-footed
Verb
  • The walking path leads past the animals to the property’s three cabins, giving larger groups the option to stay close while still having their own space.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Some of my earliest memories are walking down the aerobridge with mum and getting to visit the flight deck.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of walking

Browse Nearby Words

ambles
ambling
ambries
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Cite this Entry

“Ambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambling. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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