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
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
1
2
as in prolixity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rambling
Megan Forrester, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2025
There’s nothing worse than a long, rambling story that’s resolved in an only-mildly humorous ending.
—Jay Sullivan, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
The rambling rocks appear to travel across the sand on their own, leaving clear dirt trails in their wake.
—Andrew Paul Aug 14, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2025
There were also quirks unique to AI—such as getting derailed by ASCII art or lapsing into philosophical rambling during long tasks.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
In the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report her 6-year-old daughter JonBenét missing, and found a rambling ransom note left inside their Boulder, Colorado, home.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
His statement came a day after the release of the Netflix series, which takes viewers back to the morning after Christmas 28 years ago, when JonBenét’s mother called 911 to report finding a rambling ransom note and her daughter missing.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 3 Dec. 2024
There is more than 178 feet of beach and ocean frontage, which can be accessed via a rambling wooden staircase.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024
The Harris campaign, her allies, and Trump’s enemies have sought to capitalize on the age concerns by incessantly highlighting Trump’s rambling and bizarre tangents in his speeches, factual errors and nonsensical answers to questions from reporters and voters.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
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
Verb
The videos, which depict handwritten journals and a display of high-powered weaponry, paint a portrait of a person with a rambling and deeply nihilistic outlook, according to analyses by law enforcement and ABC News.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2025
There’s nothing worse than a long, rambling story that’s resolved in an only-mildly humorous ending.
—Jay Sullivan, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
The rambling rocks appear to travel across the sand on their own, leaving clear dirt trails in their wake.
—Andrew Paul Aug 14, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2025
There were also quirks unique to AI—such as getting derailed by ASCII art or lapsing into philosophical rambling during long tasks.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
In the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report her 6-year-old daughter JonBenét missing, and found a rambling ransom note left inside their Boulder, Colorado, home.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
His statement came a day after the release of the Netflix series, which takes viewers back to the morning after Christmas 28 years ago, when JonBenét’s mother called 911 to report finding a rambling ransom note and her daughter missing.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 3 Dec. 2024
There is more than 178 feet of beach and ocean frontage, which can be accessed via a rambling wooden staircase.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024
The Harris campaign, her allies, and Trump’s enemies have sought to capitalize on the age concerns by incessantly highlighting Trump’s rambling and bizarre tangents in his speeches, factual errors and nonsensical answers to questions from reporters and voters.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Noun
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
-
The caravan experience appealed to Bella, not because of the wandering but, rather, because Cuthbertson offered structure.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
His experience in law enforcement, combined with his desire to improve search and rescue methods, led him to establish a program that addresses the specific challenges of locating wandering individuals and streamlines local agencies' efforts.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Harjo understands better than all but a few of his star’s previous collaborators how to weaponize Hawke’s gift for playing talkative dirtbags who are equal parts insufferable and charming.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
-
That of course was not unusual, but what was unusual was how talkative this man had been.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For anyone who haven’t heard about NuPhy’s GhostBar, this is how the company’s designers stop the larger keys from rattling and sounding cheap and hollow.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Dialogue stays crisp for late-night Netflix, and game audio feels punchy without rattling the shelves.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With loneliness on the rise, MindTravel’s roaming piano concerts hope to foster connection, calm, and contemplation.—
Anna Haines,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Notable scavenger hunt locations include visiting the Memorial Union pop-up in Little Madison and finding one of the Milwaukee Brewers mascots roaming throughout the market.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Arboretum is most impressive and can be accessed by strolling to the back of the Gardens and exiting a gate, before entering this tree-laden landscape.—
Jeanine Barone,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Shop along Bahnhofstrasse, strolling down Zermatt’s car-free streets and breathing in its pollution-free air.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Steve Carell stars as the would-be villain with a heart of gold, Gru, leader of the babbling Minions.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
-
Trump, too, has inexplicable lapses of babbling and has fallen asleep at inauspicious moments.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
The actress stepped out in New York City wearing a pair of retro-inspired, deep blue flare jeans with exaggerated bell hems.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Wrangler Retro High-Rise Trumpet Flare Jeans For a more statement-making option, try these Wrangler jeans with an exaggerated trumpet flare.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The org chart becomes clearer as the season progresses, but that also involves both Ken and Esmeralda’s subplots drifting away from the main action.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
If yields are simply drifting higher, then buyers do tend to step in, said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rambling. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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