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

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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

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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

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

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

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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
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 Yes, the Sharks spent Wednesday acquiring expensive, heavy lumber. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
Verb
The sight of the lumbering actor wearing track clothes and sitting cross-legged while listening to a soothing relaxation tape on headphones is priceless. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 June 2026 The tractor was still lumbering forward but without me attached to it. — Literary Hub, 22 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 huge animals knocked bodies to the cobblestones, and stumbling runners caused several pileups during the two-and-a-half-minute run from the pen to the bull ring where bullfighters will kill the bulls later in the day.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • The huge animals knocked down bodies to the cobblestones, and stumbling runners caused several pileups during the 2½-minute run from the pen to the bullring where bullfighters would kill the bulls later in the day.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • This ground beef casserole will satisfy all the rumbling stomachs at your table.
    — Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • The engine rumbles between your legs, the road streams beneath you, the curves beckon you onward.
    — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 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
  • Goldin, who also spent last season on a two-way contract with the Heat after going undrafted last year out of Michigan, struggled in Monday’s summer league loss.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • Turkey struggled against the USMNT’s corners throughout the game, with multiple chances created from outswinging corners towards the penalty spot.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of struggle

Browse Nearby Words

lulus
lumber
lumbered
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Cite this Entry

“Lumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumber. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lumber

Nglish: Translation of lumber for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lumber

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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