lumbers

verb

present tense third-person singular of lumber
1
as in shuffles
to move heavily or clumsily the elephant lumbered through the jungle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbles
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 rumbles
to make a low heavy rolling sound the horse-drawn wagon lumbered along the trail

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in loads
to place a weight or burden on preparations that will lumber the expedition with unnecessary equipment and supplies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 lumbers The big upgrade here is that ER 2 can process live video feeds from the robot’s cameras, allowing the system to track progress as the robot lumbers from one step to the next. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumbers
  1. shuffles
  2. stumbles
  3. rumbles
  4. loads
  5. stomps
  6. struggles
  7. growls
  8. fills
Verb
  • In the clip, Dawkins shuffles out onto the field with no shirt, a pair of Crocs and a clear plastic bag ready to get the ol' inside-out treatment.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • An exhibition game also shuffles the storylines — some players emerge, others might fade.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of shuffles
Verb
  • Shortly after, a young man stumbles towards Pat from the direction of the pub, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Mitchell’s own imitation of Spielbergian life, despite its meticulous re-creation (and gleeful destruction) of eighties suburbia, stumbles into an uncanny valley between sincerity and cynicism, between unintentional comedy and deliberate homage.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of stumbles
Verb
  • Seminole quarterback Daniel Proenza rumbles 11 yards for the opening touchdown.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The accusation rumbles, then explodes locally, drawing in authorities and prompting an investigation.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of rumbles
Verb
  • If a page loads its content dynamically or sits behind a login, a standard retrieval step never sees it.
    — Vaidotas Juknys, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Turnover and the shelter’s euthanasia rates were trending down; officers’ shifts were shorter and case loads smaller.
    — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of loads
Verb
  • If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
    — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • Suddenly, the trees part and a Tyrannosaurus rex stomps into view.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
Definition of stomps
Verb
  • In between being an attorney, single mom and caregiver, Jane (Mann) struggles to find any time for herself, and Coco (Buteau) is battling her own rage and resentment amid a divorce.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In the five months since McCollough’s death, her younger sister Colleen still struggles to wrap her mind around how drastically McCollough changed during her time with Watts.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • Griffith growls Griffith could be in position to win its first Greater South Shore Conference title since 2018.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
  • Foxes use a variety of calls, including barks, howls, yaps, and growls.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of growls
Verb
  • Patricia Silvia’s family fills the first two rows of the small viewing room attached to the execution chamber.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Ella Langley Claims Two Top Five Albums Langley fills two spaces inside the top five on the Top Country Albums chart this week.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of fills

Browse Nearby Words

lumbermen
lumbers
luminance
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Cite this Entry

“Lumbers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumbers. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lumbers

Nglish: Translation of lumbers for Spanish Speakers

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