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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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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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
Kamas, Utah, a small community of about 2,100 residents at the scenic intersection of the Wasatch Range and Uinta Mountains, has long been shaped by cattle ranching and the lumber industry. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026 Contractors and woodworkers who examined the structure told Thigpen the lumber appears to have been milled on site. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
The public notice was seen as an important and logical step in the long and lumbering process of monitoring and potentially regulating the most powerful technology the world has ever seen. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Trash is strewn everywhere; people addicted to the cheap stimulant basuco, derived from cocaine-production residue, lumber around in varying states of distress. — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 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
  • Although bright whites dominate the hotel’s design, the warmth of unvarnished wood furniture does much to temper its starkness, and judicious use of pops of colour – fresh greens, yellows and florals – gives visual interest to the luxe space.
    — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The craftsmanship is on full display, as each spindle is made from solid wood and hand-sanded a few times to show the thorough detailing.
    — Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of wood
Verb
  • Kering is starting to clean house, having already shuffled creative directors at Gucci, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta.
    — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Green tea was served by gang members shuffling around in slippers.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • Lyon had Kyle Verreynne caught at slip for 13 as South Africa stumbled to 197-7.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Both will star as the central con-artist ghost hunters who stumble upon a real ghost during one of their scams.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Rules are changing Early in the second quarter, Wilson rumbled into the lane and attempted to use his off arm to create a few inches of space before laying the ball across the rim.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Pardo watched as another adult elephant, likely Matisse’s sister, rumbled from a distance before the family came together, uniting with another series of rumbles, as if saying hello.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of rumble
Verb
  • Drones can be seen near the scene of the strike as responders load the injured onto stretchers and into emergency vehicles.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Florida’s defense, which allowed 211 yards on the ground to Missouri’s backup running back last week, will need to find a new spine (and a better way to load the box).
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of load
Noun
  • Mud and sand inundated the Long Beach Peninsula as waves breached the boardwalk’s protective timber bulkhead.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • While there is some semblance of natural resource extraction, such as timber, seafood catches and cranberries, for the most part, the coastal town of about 1,400 people has had to pivot to invigorate the economy.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of timber
Verb
  • The answer isn’t between stomping the gas pedal or leaving the car parked.
    — Bob Ackerman, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Handclaps, stomping percussion and a communal chorus create the kind of infectious energy that naturally gets people moving.
    — qygwork, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stomp
Verb
  • Specifically, Nico Iamaleava struggled, fumbling once and throwing interceptions to Oregon’s Koi Perich and Jerry Mixon.
    — Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Moon, meanwhile, is struggling at school but on the precipice of adulthood; as the young woman begins to make her own decisions in life, Yue must relinquish a degree of maternal responsibility.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lumber

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lumber

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