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
Kim Cross, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
The only real midrange comes from what sounds like inclement weather or the occasional distant, lumbering percussion.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 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
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
The only real midrange comes from what sounds like inclement weather or the occasional distant, lumbering percussion.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lumber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumber
Noun
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The Singapore Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the world's great urban green spaces, inspired everything from the color palette (soft greens, aqua blues, natural wood tones) to the botanical motifs that appear in textiles and art throughout the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
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When the fungi were grown on wood chips or sawdust, the resulting spongy material could be pressed and baked into blocks and sheets resembling concrete, particle board, and plywood.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After the offense was shut out on four hits in Tuesday night’s 2-0 loss to the Angels, Counsell shuffled the lineup.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Instead, Meyerson was shuffled to three different ALFs in six months — from Hialeah to Kendall to Homestead.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans stumbled off the mound in the first inning of Friday evening’s season opener at Truist Park.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
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Bleeding heavily, Waaler stumbles into a corridor and slowly takes his last breath as Hole, who jumped out at the floor above and ran back downstairs, watches, gun in hand.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the footage, a plume of dust can be seen rising from the mountainside as a loud, rumbling sound echoes through the area.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
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Big Boy rumbled through Northern California in 2014, but with fewer stops than are planned this year.—
Brooke Park,
San Francisco Chronicle,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In their second trips to the plate in the fourth inning, Caglianone singled, Collins was hit by a pitch, and Isbel bunted for a single to load the bases.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
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Ripa had a brutally honest response locked and loaded.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The house still smelled of timber, paint, concrete dust.—
Kate Crane,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
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Sustainable timber development forms another pillar, with attention given to responsible resource management practices.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stomped around here like rabid Goths wearing bearskin vests.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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At times, their set had the foot-stomping intensity of a tent revival.—
Joey Guerra,
Houston Chronicle,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Perhaps those June friendlies in Florida will give him one more chance to experiment, but the simple reality is that any Kane-less plan will struggle to get off the ground.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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The waiver was established by the TEA to provide additional flexibility to go out of state to find qualified leaders to right the ships of struggling districts.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumber. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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