ramble 1 of 2

ramble

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verb

1
as in to rattle
to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point the teenagers sat around the pizza parlor, rambling on about dating, homework, movies, and the local football team

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in to stroll
to travel by foot for exercise or pleasure we're planning to ramble all over the highland moors when we're in Dartmoor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb ramble contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ramble are meander, roam, rove, traipse, and wander. While all these words mean "to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose," ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.

the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point

When could meander be used to replace ramble?

In some situations, the words meander and ramble are roughly equivalent. However, meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.

the river meanders for miles through rich farmland

When might roam be a better fit than ramble?

While the synonyms roam and ramble are close in meaning, roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.

liked to roam through the woods

When is it sensible to use rove instead of ramble?

Although the words rove and ramble have much in common, rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.

armed brigands roved over the countryside

When is traipse a more appropriate choice than ramble?

The words traipse and ramble are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

Where would wander be a reasonable alternative to ramble?

The synonyms wander and ramble are sometimes interchangeable, but wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course.

fond of wandering about the square just watching the people

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 ramble
Noun
Newsom’s red-state rambles may end up having no effect whatsoever on his political future. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024 There are daily rambles along classic trails each day, against a backdrop of pinnacles, and glaciers. Everett Potter, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
Prompting for mental health discourse by the user tends to be longer, denser, rambling at times, etc., which is quite a contrast to generic general-purpose AI. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 Tansy produces rambling, ferny foliage and golden yellow button-like blooms. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ramble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ramble
Noun
  • Kawa Voyage offers comprehensive excursions to paddle and swim through the glowing waters.
    Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
  • The flight was his eighth tour excursion of the day on the same helicopter.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • The brutal stabbings rattled Moscow, a city of 25,000 people that hadn’t recorded a murder since 2015.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 15 May 2025
  • But the winds of change in Colorado caused this particular branch in Blue to rattle and sway.
    Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • Without the puck, Nurse and Bouchard have the same weakness (read and react, wandering).
    Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • Instead, Shuai wanders about pouring other people’s drinks.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Challenging the narrative Defense attorney Stuart Adelstein strolled over to the lectern, his eyes piercing the jurors just feet away from him.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 May 2025
  • The Courant reported, in a story written in 1991, when the Pedlar approached its 100th anniversary, that the inn had seen many famous people stroll into its Victorian-style lobby and its dining room.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Taller people might prefer nothing more than a cross-town jaunt.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Haim will tour North America and the United Kingdom later this year, starting with a jaunt across the United States and Canada in September and October.
    Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Xander Bogaerts began the bottom of the fifth with a walk and went to third when right fielder Jo Adell bobbled, ever-so-slightly, a single by Jake Cronenworth.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
  • Crim went hitless in 11 at-bats with a walk and a run scored.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • Phillip left that night with a wad of cash, and, still under the influence, began roaming the city.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 12 May 2025
  • Animals roam freely without the need for paved paths.
    Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • George and his frequent collaborator/fellow Georgian/white boy/former nanny Dan Ewen had sauntered into Act III’s offices a few weeks earlier.
    Dan Ewen, Deadline, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul sauntered across the stage freestyling and hitting choreography with her backup dancers in a seemingly endless collection of gorgeous leotard-centric costumes — most of which came complete with a matching fitted and pair of boots.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 11 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ramble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ramble. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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