1
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
the elephant lumbered through the jungle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 lumbering
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
And then there’s the giant Mama Creeper, the lumbering head of the pack who hulks over the protagonist Mickey (Robert Pattinson) when the two are face to face.
—Abigail Lee, Variety, 17 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
In the case of mammoths, the company argues that having mammoth-like creatures lumbering through the Arctic would compress the snow and grass that insulates the ground, slowing the rate of permafrost thaw and the release of carbon contained in this fragile ecosystem.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
The horse rests on the ice for a few moments before lumbering to his feet, the video shows.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
The lumbering animal had wandered aimlessly around the old mill and through several of the old mining shacks.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025
The gray form of the grizzly was lumbering down the ridge, at the outermost buildings of the ghost town.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025
Somehow both hyper-kinetic and lumbering, the movie at least has the distinction of being too irritating to be boring.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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
And then there’s the giant Mama Creeper, the lumbering head of the pack who hulks over the protagonist Mickey (Robert Pattinson) when the two are face to face.
—Abigail Lee, Variety, 17 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
In the case of mammoths, the company argues that having mammoth-like creatures lumbering through the Arctic would compress the snow and grass that insulates the ground, slowing the rate of permafrost thaw and the release of carbon contained in this fragile ecosystem.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
The horse rests on the ice for a few moments before lumbering to his feet, the video shows.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
The lumbering animal had wandered aimlessly around the old mill and through several of the old mining shacks.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025
The gray form of the grizzly was lumbering down the ridge, at the outermost buildings of the ghost town.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025
Somehow both hyper-kinetic and lumbering, the movie at least has the distinction of being too irritating to be boring.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumbering
Verb
-
But the $12 billion decline in his fortune has more to do with asset shuffling than stock price movement.—
Julie Goldenberg,
Forbes,
21 Dec. 2024
-
James has been shuffling back and forth between the NBA and the G League.—
Benedict Cosgrove,
Newsweek,
19 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The Rays led 2-0 with a chance to blow things open in the sixth inning after loading the bases with none out against Braves newcomer Rafael Montero on two walks and a single.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
-
In the now-viral clip, the working breed is seen doing domestic chores—including placing shoes in a different room, tossing paper into a bin and loading laundry into a basket—after receiving verbal cues from his owner.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
After easily stopping Thanos and Nam-gyu from curb-stomping Ming-gyu at lunch, In-ho earns a lot of people’s respect.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
26 Dec. 2024
-
In a similar vein, Malloy’s musical score is almost anonymously eclectic — wistful ballads, stomping pop, a smattering of EDM — but threaded through with enough strains of Russian folk and klezmer to suggest a sense of place.—
Houman Barekat,
New York Times,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The state has grown increasingly reliant on unlicensed teachers because schools are struggling to retain experienced educators.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Businesses are struggling to keep up with cybercriminals’ pace of innovation.—
Rick Hutchinson,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Stopping this practice would go a long way to make college more affordable without burdening taxpayers.—
Paul Weinstein Jr.,
Forbes,
22 Dec. 2024
-
This goal—and state—does not include divulging unnecessary personal information or burdening your team with worries and decisions that are yours to handle.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Big, cumbersome, and greasy, baking sheets can be a pain to clean and dry off.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
30 June 2025
-
Federal law has long given authorities the power to impose such fines, although they were rarely issued until the first Trump administration, and even then only rarely because officials found the process cumbersome.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Bunting in particular seemed to benefit from his linemates’ efficiency in filling the net.—
Nick Ashbourne,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The Yankees signed the 38-year-old to a minor league free agent contract in February, but after a series of injuries left the defending American League champs with three holes in their five-man rotation, Carrasco pitched his way into filling one with an impressive spring training.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The contrast with Durant’s lumpish Johnny makes no sense.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Oct. 2024
-
Because both actors look like lumpish proletarian versions of Ingmar Bergman stars — Alma Pöysti, radiant yet benumbed, plays Ansa like a dish-towel Bibi Andersson, and Jussi Vatanen could be the schlump brother of Max von Sydow (with a dollop of Ryan Gosling).—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
23 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Lumbering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumbering. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share