1
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
the elephant lumbered through the jungle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbling
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 loading
to place a weight or burden on
preparations that will lumber the expedition with unnecessary equipment and supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shambling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in plodding
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lumbering
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Almost every song is a lumbering beast so thoroughly composed of bits and pieces from the very best of the entire British popular music tradition as to make each feel inevitable, and the intensity doesn’t let up much until the final track.
—Jesse Adams, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Gyms and exercise equipment companies don’t promote their locations and equipment with flabby, lumbering people, rather their ads show fit, upright, energetic individuals.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Some were fresh out of flight school, others flew lumbering flying boats or were ferry pilots for large bombers.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
In an era where teams are going all-in on big lumbering defenders, Montreal took a bet on a 5-foot-9, 160-pound defender.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
The area’s greatest economic driver after the end of the lumbering trade in the early 20th century has been and continues to be iron ore mining.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Snow White is, for better and (mostly) worse, a product of a corporation that has for years been lumbering after its idea of the Zeitgeist with all the agility of an aging colossus.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
During the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong came to believe that the revolution was losing momentum because of the country’s lumbering bureaucracy.
—Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The two heroes fight what appears to be a Rancor-like lizard monster in Rotta the Hutt’s arena and bring down a lumbering AT-AT, which slowly falls down a mountainside in epic fashion.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Almost every song is a lumbering beast so thoroughly composed of bits and pieces from the very best of the entire British popular music tradition as to make each feel inevitable, and the intensity doesn’t let up much until the final track.
—Jesse Adams, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Gyms and exercise equipment companies don’t promote their locations and equipment with flabby, lumbering people, rather their ads show fit, upright, energetic individuals.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Some were fresh out of flight school, others flew lumbering flying boats or were ferry pilots for large bombers.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
In an era where teams are going all-in on big lumbering defenders, Montreal took a bet on a 5-foot-9, 160-pound defender.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
The area’s greatest economic driver after the end of the lumbering trade in the early 20th century has been and continues to be iron ore mining.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Snow White is, for better and (mostly) worse, a product of a corporation that has for years been lumbering after its idea of the Zeitgeist with all the agility of an aging colossus.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
During the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong came to believe that the revolution was losing momentum because of the country’s lumbering bureaucracy.
—Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumbering
Verb
-
Suddenly, a horde of ragged, bloodied creatures appear, their feet shuffling along the pavement, their hollow eyes locked on fleeing figures ahead.—
Tom Duszynski,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
-
But after some shuffling at the position, Horn finally got his opportunity and immediately impacted the offense with the threat of his speed.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Footage of a father stumbling around, apparently carrying the headless body of his baby?—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Remaining unclaimed playoff spots The final two playoff spots in the Western Conference are up for grabs, with FC Dallas, Real Salt Lake, the Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes all stumbling towards the finish line.—
Tom Bogert,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Thousands stomped in the bleachers, creating rumbling waves of adoration.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Apple’s promotional video for the iPhone 17 Pro is super loud and rumbling the floor.—
Eric Zeman,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The unnecessary teensy twin spoilers seem to serve no purpose beyond making loading things into the bed of the truck harder.—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Published in the journal PLOS One, the study examined how running with a stroller affects loading forces on the body.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
These movies—including the seven-hour-long Sátántangó, a centerpiece of which is a shambling dance in a barroom—often swap the meandering sentence for a single camera shot that lasts 10 minutes or more.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Once the beyond-the-grave comeuppance arrives, this short is just standard shambling ghouls and raining blood.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Occasionally, as in the obscurity of Legion’s later episodes or the plodding pace of some Fargo plots, this approach can verge on self-indulgence.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But only the faithful know everything about the Mushroom Kingdom’s shell-stomping messiah.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Barner holds his arms parallel to the ground and swings them side to side while slowly stomping forward like Godzilla demolishing a city.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That was punctuated by the incident in Dubai, which Raducanu said left her struggling to breathe properly in the immediate aftermath.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The film follows Malik (Omar Epps), a gifted athlete struggling academically; Kristen (Kristy Swanson), a young woman discovering her voice; and Remy (Michael Rapaport), a student whose isolation turns dangerous.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lumbering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumbering. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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