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
Nemacolin is privately owned and operated by the Hardy family, Pennsylvania natives who made their name and fortunes in the lumber industry. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 At the age of nine, he was shipped on a lumber freighter from Russia to England; a year later, he was sent to the United States. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
The zombie – slow moving, with sallow complexion, hollow eyes, rotting teeth and a hunger for human flesh – has been lumbering through Hollywood movies for decades now. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Sep. 2026 Travis Bazzana lumbered through August, seemingly striking the proverbial rookie wall. — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 14 Sep. 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
  • Running Tide had struggled to grow kelp offshore at scale and shifted toward deployments of wood chips mixed with alkaline substances, said former general manager Kristinn Hróbjartsson.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Rising construction costs forced Donnelly and architect Ryan Perella to keep the backyard guesthouse simple, using budget-conscious finishes such as polished concrete floors and wood countertops.
    — Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of wood
Verb
  • Offensive line shuffled up Dykes said in earlier in the week that TCU looked at everything throughout the program during the 2-3 start and would make the necessary adjustments to try and turn things around.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Uribe shuffled off the mound, and the crowd at American Family Field roared.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • There was upset after upset, and a few teams were on the verge of stumbling as well.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Next week will bring major risks for a stock market that's trying to find its footing as the AI trade continues to stumble, with several megacap earnings, a Federal Reserve meeting and a key inflation report in store.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Now rumours are rumbling that Activision’s reboot might focus on Chief’s origins; that's the last thing Halo needs.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Mahomes completed a short pass to the Chiefs tight end, who rumbled down the field, rolling down at the Chargers’ 20-yard line for a 24-yard gain.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of rumble
Verb
  • The fuel was first loaded commercially in an American reactor in 2025, and this new factory is designed to transition the technology from single-plant deployment into wide commercial use.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In Peabody, officials are expanding a program that uses cameras mounted on school buses to identify drivers who fail to stop when buses are loading or unloading students.
    — Logan Hall, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of load
Noun
  • Holcomb told the Statesman the Forest Service is looking to expand fuels-reduction work across the Boise Ridge Area, a project that would occur in phases beginning with larger timber removal.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Strategically placed, timber may not be a bad investment, according to Dorn, though that would be because of the land itself more than the timber.
    — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of timber
Verb
  • At one point Evans stomps in to a Fielder secondary interview to try to stop it.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • McColley pushed Parente out onto the street and stomped his boot in the victim’s face five times, crushing Parente’s head into the pavement before fleecing his pockets and fleeing, according to the criminal complaint.
    — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of stomp
Verb
  • But even when Antetokounmpo was on the court in the second half, the Heat struggled.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The high prices are adding to pain for cattle ranchers in western states, who were already struggling with persistent drought.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lumber

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lumber

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