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
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
Built in 1953 from scrap lumber, Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In remains the town’s most iconic food stop, known for its cheeky signage and nostalgic burgers and milkshakes.
—Daria Bachmann, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Over the course of his career, Stradivari went from making large, lumbering cellos to creating smaller, more innovative ones that became the blueprint for the modern instrument.
—John Phipps, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lumber
Noun
Taiwanese auto parts, lumber, and related products will also avoid tariffs above 15 percent under the same framework.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
Built in 1953 from scrap lumber, Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In remains the town’s most iconic food stop, known for its cheeky signage and nostalgic burgers and milkshakes.
—Daria Bachmann, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
During the announcement, a lumbering Frankenstein’s Monster appeared on the set with Thompson and Mitchell.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Over the course of his career, Stradivari went from making large, lumbering cellos to creating smaller, more innovative ones that became the blueprint for the modern instrument.
—John Phipps, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lumber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumber
Noun
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The team stripped the lignin — the rigid glue in plant cells — from wood, leaving a porous cellulose skeleton.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
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Welch said the contractor may make notes about a property, such as suggesting that residents clear debris and place piles of wood off the ground to make outdoor areas less attractive to rats.—
Jessi Virtusio,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The downstairs staffs of the richest and noblest families start to shuffle around so chaotically that even Lady Whistledown takes notice of in her column.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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The videos showed Chicago kissing and hugging a sable-furred puppy in the family's living room while Psalm shuffled around on his hands and knees trying to chase one of the dark-haired dogs around the room.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The sort of challenge that has caused United to stumble in recent times.—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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Stocks had stumbled there in prior days after MSCI, an influential company in the investment industry that creates stock and other indexes, warned about market risks such as a lack of transparency.—
Stan Choe,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The city rumbles occasionally, a reminder that Mount Vesuvius, though considered dormant, could flare to life at any moment.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
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In the final minute, Lakers fans rumbled the arena with a collective chant calling for Bronny James to enter the game.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ballots from Georgia's 2020 election are loaded by the FBI onto trucks at the Fulton County Election Hub on Wednesday.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
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Once freed from the garbage, she was loaded onto a stretcher and brought to the aquarium.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Massive columns, slender spires and impossibly balanced boulders loom above the timber.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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All four European expeditions saw a Rapa Nui of gardens and grassland, with no forest or tall trees; Roggeveen had specifically noted Islanders’ excitement at the sight of timber.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Oscar-winning composer Daniel Blumberg was tasked with layering in claps, stomps and screams.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
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Making matters worse was that Seahawks defensive lineman Derick Hall stomped down on Dotson’s calf after the play, leading to Shelton shoving him in the chest and, ultimately, a one-game suspension for Hall.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As China struggles with a prolonged economic slump, and the US has emerged with the highest number of billionaires in the world, with over 900 (up from 813 in 2024), more splashy events in the country will follow.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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His promotion comes at a moment when streaming, film and sports media remain in flux, and big studios and networks are struggling to predict how audiences will be consuming media three years from now.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumber. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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