rambling

American  

[ram-bling] / ˈræm blɪŋ /

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

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rambling British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• ramblingly adverb
• ramblingness noun
• unrambling adjective

Etymology

Origin of rambling

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

Example Sentences

This rambling complaint serves as an admission that your editorial on Jimmy Lai’s rigged trial and conviction hit the nail on the head.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet works of high seriousness were never his strong suit, as his rambling and distressingly unfocused Eisenhower Memorial in Washington showed.

From The Wall Street Journal

As rambling as it can be, misinterpreting “Die My Love” as anything other than Lawrence’s is impossible.

From Salon

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

From Salon

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• circuitous
• disjointed
• incoherent
• long-winded