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
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
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Recent Examples of lumber
Caleb Silver, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Build a Compact Potting Bench The potting bench—which McMahon built using affordable cedar lumber and painted to blend in with the fence—helps corral messier potting work to one section of the garden.
—Mike Irvine, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
This mind-blowing abundance is part of what drew Brian Kraft, a former professional hockey player, to build the lodge here in 1997, relying on bush planes to fly lumber into the timber-scarce tundra.
—Kim Cross, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lumber
Noun
James Walker Tufts, the Boston soda entrepreneur and philanthropist, surely sensed it while traveling through the area at the end of the 19th century, prompting him to buy 5,800 acres in the Sandhills that had been left barren by lumber harvesting.
—Caleb Silver, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Build a Compact Potting Bench The potting bench—which McMahon built using affordable cedar lumber and painted to blend in with the fence—helps corral messier potting work to one section of the garden.
—Mike Irvine, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Lakers needed all of James’ versatility with backup big men Jaxson Hayes (back soreness) and Maxi Kleber (lumber back strain) sidelined.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
This mind-blowing abundance is part of what drew Brian Kraft, a former professional hockey player, to build the lodge here in 1997, relying on bush planes to fly lumber into the timber-scarce tundra.
—Kim Cross, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lumber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumber
Noun
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The jammy strawberry note is the star of the show, while the matcha tea, musk, and hinoki wood are more apparent on the dry down.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
7 Apr. 2026
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Window Blinds Give your wood or plastic window blinds a good clean with a Swiffer Sweeper.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Born from the embers of the eighties band Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, led by the singer and guitarist Amelia Fletcher, shuffled forward with her riffy, effervescent playing style, gradually growing more sophisticated across four LPs and an EP, without any loss of buoyancy.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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This is where the city stages its daily open-air show — street artists sketching portraits, fortune-tellers shuffling cards and musicians playing for appreciative crowds.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hunters exploring in a remote section of the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest stumbled onto a body in the dark, according to investigators in western North Carolina.—
Mark Price
April 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In the clip, the two actors stumble backwards into the glass before falling through and out of the frame.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Or perhaps he is known less by image and more as a disembodied voice, glitching his way across vintage Kanye tracks and rumbling words of self-pity opposite Taylor Swift.—
Mitch Therieau,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
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During my most recent visit in 2025, my family and I spent time driving around on the mostly one-lane highway, through the hills and valleys of the six volcanoes that lie rumbling underneath the island.—
Emily Adler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Justin Topa gave up an infield single to Parker Meadows that loaded the bases before Zach McKinstry lined out to left field.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Woo had the Rangers following the same script on Wednesday, allowing only two hits through his first four innings of work, but the team got after the pitcher in the fifth and loaded the bases for Brandon Nimmo, who hit a weak grounder to first baseman Connor Joe.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Many residents from rural areas have lived on the same land for generations, watching a cycle of outside companies profit from extracting the state’s resources — from timber to coal and oil and gas — only to pollute and abandon communities afterward.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Built from timber, stone, and glass, they’re positioned so each one faces its own stretch of forest, with floor-to-ceiling windows that slide open to let in air and sound without inviting bugs.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Robb Report,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s the sound of clogs slowly stomping back into the spotlight.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
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For pretty much every gamer alive today, those first few notes induce an almost Pavlovian response — sparking an urge to grab a controller on your lap that isn’t actually there and bringing to mind comfortable, warm memories of stomping Goombas and riding Yoshi on a quest to save Princess Peach.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Predator ranks growing California is struggling to manage the behavior of other predators whose ranks are growing thanks to the state’s conservation programs and endangered species protections.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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His campaign goals included reinstating and expanding bus services, attracting additional low-income housing options through federal and state grants, and increasing resource distribution by the city to homeless residents and those struggling with addiction.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumber. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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