rambling

1 of 2

adjective

ram·bling ˈram-b(ə-)liŋ

Synonyms of rambling

: proceeding without a specific goal, purpose, or direction: such as

: wandering about from one place to another

a rambling walk

: straying from subject to subject

a rambling essay/discussion/discourse

a rambling talker

His text is at times repetitious and rambling.—Robert Howard

: stretching, spreading, or growing in a winding or irregular way

a rambling stream

rambling roses

: large and informally designed

a rambling farmhouse

… blue-tinged shots give the sinister prison … the air of a rambling edifice out of Dickens.—Celia Wren

ramblingly adverb

a ramblingly told story

rambling

2 of 2

present participle of ramble entry 1

Examples of rambling in a Sentence

Adjective I listened patiently to Mrs. Parsifal's rambling reminiscences, though I had no idea who "Dorothy" and "the stepson" were the new minister gives rambling sermons that, if they have a point, are lost on the congregation, which invariably falls asleep

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Adjective

The rambling, low-slung main residence was extensively renovated by the couple, who also expanded with a separate building that’s tucked up under a vast lawn. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2026 Dylan Young and his Melbourne group fill their third album with winsome and warm tracks whose best moments combine rambling guitars with tales of bruising regret. — Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026 Bounty, Meet Beauty Growing food in a small yard doesn’t have to mean entirely surrendering to rambling zucchini and overgrown herbs. — Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2026 After the event was disrupted by an armed intruder, the Administration and the association scheduled a July do-over, where Trump delivered a rambling speech indulging seemingly every tangent that sprang to mind, but his contempt remained apparent. — Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rambling

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of rambling was circa 1609

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

rambler rose

rambling

ramblingly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rambling. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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rambling

adjective

Synonyms of rambling

Examples of rambling in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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