ramble
Americanverb (used without object)
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to wander around in a leisurely, aimless manner.
They rambled through the shops until closing time.
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to take a course with many turns or windings, as a stream or path.
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to grow in a random, unsystematic fashion.
The vine rambled over the walls and tree trunks.
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to talk or write in a discursive, aimless way (usually followed byon ).
The speaker rambled on with anecdote after anecdote.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
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to stroll about freely, as for relaxation, with no particular direction
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(of paths, streams, etc) to follow a winding course; meander
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(of plants) to grow in a random fashion
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(of speech, writing, etc) to lack organization
noun
Related Words
See roam.
Etymology
Origin of ramble
First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain
Explanation
You ramble when your talking or your walking goes on and on and on. And on. You’re in no hurry to make a point or get to your destination — if there is one at all. The word ramble comes from similar roots as roam. They both mean wander, but they’re often used a little differently. You might roam around on vacation to relax or find adventure. If you’re a shark, you roam the deep sea for food. On the other hand, if the person on the plane next to you chatters nervously and can’t stop, you wish they wouldn’t ramble on like that.
Vocabulary lists containing ramble
25 Ways of Walking
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Look Both Ways
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Wish
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For this season's league phase, Swiss Ramble calculated, external that Newcastle received £47m.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
Meanwhile, Chris Cooper was eager to get back to what he was doing that morning in the Ramble: birding.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2023
Only five times during his ownership has Chelsea made a profit, according to the respected Swiss Ramble account on Twitter that analyzes club accounts.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 11, 2022
On weekends, I took to wandering around the Ramble in Central Park.
From New York Times • Feb. 20, 2022
II In Mattie’s Ramble Inn, Jones poured a glassful of beer and sank his long teeth into the foam.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
