as in lumbering
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as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
disconsolate and exhausted after losing the match, the wrestler shambled toward the locker room
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Recent Examples of shambling
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
One rarely gains a sense of what people look like (beyond the son’s bulky physique and shambling movements, in which the mother ‘caught a flash of her brother’).
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
These movies—including the seven-hour-long Sátántangó, a centerpiece of which is a shambling dance in a barroom—often swap the meandering sentence for a single camera shot that lasts 10 minutes or more.
—Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
Once the beyond-the-grave comeuppance arrives, this short is just standard shambling ghouls and raining blood.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
The shambling Cliff and the spiky Didi make for an odd couple.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
With almost no plan, Sonny makes a shambling attempt at an armed robbery, only to end up trapped in the bank with the manager and five female tellers as his hostages.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
One rarely gains a sense of what people look like (beyond the son’s bulky physique and shambling movements, in which the mother ‘caught a flash of her brother’).
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
These movies—including the seven-hour-long Sátántangó, a centerpiece of which is a shambling dance in a barroom—often swap the meandering sentence for a single camera shot that lasts 10 minutes or more.
—Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
Once the beyond-the-grave comeuppance arrives, this short is just standard shambling ghouls and raining blood.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
The shambling Cliff and the spiky Didi make for an odd couple.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Walking Dead keeps shambling along, now splintered into a bunch of pretty lackluster spinoffs.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shambling
Verb
-
Of course, no rotation shuffling is imminent with Rodón expected to make at least three rehab starts and Cole moving at a slower pace following Tommy John surgery.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The famed Rendezvous Ballroom dance floor was so packed, couples would have to do their moves in a close embrace, posture upright while doing short half steps, swiftly shuffling their feet as the partners stepped out and in, over and over, in a rhythmic swing.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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My figures have two noses, two pairs of wobbly lips and lopsided torsos that often lean precariously to one side.—
Gabe Montesanti,
PEOPLE,
19 Apr. 2026
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Anything worse than another Rory round in the 60s would have resulted in his lead shrinking, and a wobbly Saturday was certain to shrink the gap further.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lina cried out, stumbling backward.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Apple has gotten off to a rough start in AI after stumbling in its efforts to deliver new features built on the technology, as promised nearly two years ago.—
Michael Liedtke,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
-
That’s the sound of clogs slowly stomping back into the spotlight.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For pretty much every gamer alive today, those first few notes induce an almost Pavlovian response — sparking an urge to grab a controller on your lap that isn’t actually there and bringing to mind comfortable, warm memories of stomping Goombas and riding Yoshi on a quest to save Princess Peach.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the fall and early winter, there might be 20 creatures lounging there, occasionally galumphing or issuing a burp noise that echoes over the water.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
24 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The volunteer, named Jacki and played with warm restraint by Tessa Thompson, has been slowly developing a friendship with Yarris, a mercurial but undeniably charismatic character played by Adrien Brody, your go-to actor for any slight man with a loping, unsteady energy.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
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Change feels unsteady, and the reader will want to get to stable ground.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shambling. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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