rambling

[ram-bling]

adjective

1. aimlessly wandering.

2. taking an irregular course; straggling.

   a rambling brook.

3. spread out irregularly in various directions.

   a rambling mansion.

4. straying from one subject to another; desultory.

   a rambling novel.

   Synonyms: discursive

rambling

/ ˈræmblɪŋ /

adjective

1. straggling or sprawling haphazardly; unplanned

   a rambling old house

2. (of speech or writing) lacking a coherent plan; diffuse and disconnected

3. (of a plant, esp a rose) profusely climbing and straggling

4. nomadic; wandering

Other Word Forms

• ramblingly adverb
• ramblingness noun
• unrambling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rambling¹

First recorded in 1615–25; ramble + -ing ²

Example Sentences

His speech was rambling and incoherent at times, but he became laser-focused in its conclusion.

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It’ll finally have the rambling, meticulously restored historic venue of its dreams opening this fall.

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By pathologizing without a plan of action, “Eddington” is as effective as an influencer’s Instagram carousel with 10 rambling slides about “everything going on right now.”

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Feel like I’m rambling, but I know this is something I’ll look back on when I’m through this, as something I’m proud I fought through.

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There were rambling courtroom monologues, questionable medical episodes and theatrical outbursts which were often directed at his own lawyers as a prelude to sacking them.

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Related Words

• circuitous 
• disjointed 
• incoherent 
• long-winded