1
as in wandering
passing from one topic to another
I listened patiently to Mrs. Parsifal's rambling reminiscences, though I had no idea who "Dorothy" and "the stepson" were
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in talkative
using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea
the new minister gives rambling sermons that, if they have a point, are lost on the congregation, which invariably falls asleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in prolixity
Related Words
1
as in rattling
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
as in roaming
to move about from place to place aimlessly
by tirelessly rambling around San Francisco for a week we probably saw more of it than many residents ever have
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in strolling
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rambling
Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025
Kiley, 40, a Republican, is in his second term representing a rambling district that stretches from the northeastern Sacramento suburbs, through Placer and nearby counties and down to Death Valley.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Concerned friends, both mine and his, counseled against him posting rambling, nonsensical monologues, and about his drug use.
—Coley Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
In the past several years, Edge had filed a string of civil lawsuits with rambling, sometimes conspiratorial claims.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
Kiehne was frustrated with the Joneses because the county government wouldn’t grade the dirt road up to his ranch, a rambling territory along the New Mexico border.
—Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Check out the fragrant Kelleher Rose Garden and the rambling Fenway Victory Gardens, originally planted by citizens in 1941 as a source of food during World War II.
—Kori Perten, AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025
Boelter’s motivation remains unclear, but investigators found a one-and-a-half-page letter, described as rambling and difficult to read, that was ascribed to him.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 Sep. 2025
Cristin Milioti’s therapy notes, Seth Rogen’s rambling delight, Owen Cooper’s halting honesty, all examples of presence that will outlast the highlight reels of gowns and jokes.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
Roger Naylor shares 10 favorite Arizona destinations from his 50 years of rambling here.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
As Minneapolis reels from the shooting, officials are combing through Westman’s rambling writings – which the shooter shared in YouTube videos timed to go online around the same time as the attack – to search for a motive.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Trump has long bragged about his cognitive ability, repeatedly offering to take a cognitive exam alongside Biden during the 2024 campaign, and has claimed his rambling is a purposeful speaking style.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The Gerbi family also controls the trendy Paris retailer Merci, a rambling concept shop that opened in 2009 with a charitable mission.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025
Kiley, 40, a Republican, is in his second term representing a rambling district that stretches from the northeastern Sacramento suburbs, through Placer and nearby counties and down to Death Valley.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Concerned friends, both mine and his, counseled against him posting rambling, nonsensical monologues, and about his drug use.
—Coley Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
In the past several years, Edge had filed a string of civil lawsuits with rambling, sometimes conspiratorial claims.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
Kiehne was frustrated with the Joneses because the county government wouldn’t grade the dirt road up to his ranch, a rambling territory along the New Mexico border.
—Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Check out the fragrant Kelleher Rose Garden and the rambling Fenway Victory Gardens, originally planted by citizens in 1941 as a source of food during World War II.
—Kori Perten, AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025
Boelter’s motivation remains unclear, but investigators found a one-and-a-half-page letter, described as rambling and difficult to read, that was ascribed to him.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 Sep. 2025
Cristin Milioti’s therapy notes, Seth Rogen’s rambling delight, Owen Cooper’s halting honesty, all examples of presence that will outlast the highlight reels of gowns and jokes.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
What on Earth was Gabriel rambling on about before, anyway?
—Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
Roger Naylor shares 10 favorite Arizona destinations from his 50 years of rambling here.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
As Minneapolis reels from the shooting, officials are combing through Westman’s rambling writings – which the shooter shared in YouTube videos timed to go online around the same time as the attack – to search for a motive.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Trump has long bragged about his cognitive ability, repeatedly offering to take a cognitive exam alongside Biden during the 2024 campaign, and has claimed his rambling is a purposeful speaking style.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rambling
Adjective
-
Others described sightings of a woman dressed in black wandering hallways, gardens and along the seashore.—
Noreen Kompanik,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
-
And there’s even an AI Kevin O’Leary wandering cyberspace.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
At home, Dan is curious, talkative and always ready to make a new friend.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Mbeumo, nicknamed Brice, was not shy at football but talkative and funny.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Tucked between Sedona's iconic red sandstone cliffs and the babbling Oak Creek, L’Auberge de Sedona has long been considered one of Arizona's most inviting retreats.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Holding back tears, Christine Ulrich recalls how her daughter Veda once loved dancing, drawing and babbling.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Wolf’s voice, a bone-rattling growl, is his greatest legacy.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Lauren Petracca | Bloomberg | Getty Images A wave of layoffs is rattling corporate America.—
Josephine Rozzelle,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The set-up inside the circle felt more like a rehearsal space, with the group clustered together while also roaming freely around the stage, playing to different parts of the audience.—
Daniel Dylan Wray,
Pitchfork,
5 Nov. 2025
-
In the lead-up to Election Day, Sliwa has only ramped up his campaign, packing his schedule and roaming across all five boroughs.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Amazon is stocked with celeb-worthy chocolate and coffee-toned sneakers that blend comfort, support, and style—perfect for sightseeing, airport sprints, or just strolling through new cities.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
-
This sighting comes six days after Lawrence kicked off her Halloween celebrations early in New York, where she was spotted strolling around in a black witch hat.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
An investigation by the United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner found that the company’s claims about its predictive model were exaggerated and ineffective, according to The Associated Press.—
David Smiley,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Plus, the boot – which comes in DM’s Yellow, Black, and DM’s Olive colorways – use the brand’s Ben sole with an exaggerated tread which is paired with a SoftWair insole.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Now the babble about them is back.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Mesopotamian corpses, stirred by the babble of trade, wander the halls wrapped in shrouds of extravagant malice.—
David Velasco,
Harpers Magazine,
18 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Rambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rambling. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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