lumber 1 of 2

noun

Definition of lumbernext
as in wood
tree logs as prepared for human use a huge amount of lumber will be needed to build the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

lumber

2 of 2

verb

ˈləm-bər How to pronounce lumber (audio)
1
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily the elephant lumbered through the jungle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually the novel's plot lumbers to its predictable conclusion after 500 long pages

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to rumble
to make a low heavy rolling sound the horse-drawn wagon lumbered along the trail

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to load
to place a weight or burden on preparations that will lumber the expedition with unnecessary equipment and supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 lumber
Noun
Alongside carrying wheat, coal, lumber, steel and more, the Rock Island Railroad was also a major force of bauxite transportation during World War II. — Gabe White, Arkansas Online, 5 July 2026 In the episode, Carrie is nearly crushed after Matthew Labyorteaux's Albert Quinn nearly drops a pile of lumber clean on her head. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Verb
The invaders’ command-and-control systems were lumbering even before Ukraine began attacking them in earnest. — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 30 June 2026 Kyle Schwarber was lumbering toward home plate. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lumber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumber
  1. wood
  2. shuffle
  3. stumble
  4. rumble
  5. load
  6. timber
  7. stomp
  8. struggle
Noun
  • The first thing that hits you at Azuma Farm Koiwai is the fresh, calming smell of hinoki wood, which is layered on the lofty ceilings around the resort, and decorates the handful of quaint cabins that are dotted across its grounds.
    — Ashley Ogawa Clarke, Vogue, 16 July 2026
  • That palette is echoed in the interior, where cork and eucalyptus wood play against bronze hardware.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 July 2026
Definition of wood
Verb
  • He’s been shuffled on and off the practice squad here over the years.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 July 2026
  • Burke piles fascinating shuffling sounds on top, invoking a quiet scuffle, maybe some cardboard boxes being knocked over in a storage space.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • The first version stumbled spectacularly—employees persuaded it to stock novelty tungsten cubes and sell them at a loss—but later iterations became considerably more competent.
    — Victor Dey, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • But then our son stumbles into the room and burrows between us, his warmth radiating right alongside my light.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Storms could rumble back late Wednesday night into Thursday, with a few potentially severe, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • This ground beef casserole will satisfy all the rumbling stomachs at your table.
    — Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
Definition of rumble
Verb
  • This system, located between the grid and an AI data center, isolates DC load fluctuations from the grid and delivers LVRT support that can respond to demand shifts in real time at scale.
    — Drew Robb, IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2026
  • Call of Duty is locked and loaded for a theatrical release the summer of 2028.
    — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
Definition of load
Noun
  • Guests can hike, cycle, or ski up to Moonshack, a secluded cabin built from reclaimed timber next to an observatory with a telescope on par with those used by major research universities.
    — Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026
  • Under federal law, the forest lands are managed for renewable resources — including timber, clean water, wildlife habitat, forage for livestock and recreation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
Definition of timber
Verb
  • Cece got out of bed, put on a pair of fuzzy pink slippers, and stomped to her mother’s office.
    — Jessica Contrera, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • There was so much color, all these beautiful headdresses, and the male dancers were stomping their legs to mimic the drums.
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of stomp
Verb
  • In the galley, Joy struggles to accommodate two sheets of Suzanne’s preferences and one sheet of Sugar Baby’s.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 July 2026
  • Day to day, as the city grows, there’s also the question of traffic, which snarls the city as public transit initiatives have repeatedly struggled.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of struggle

Browse Nearby Words

lulus
lumber
lumbered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumber. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lumber

Nglish: Translation of lumber for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lumber

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All