ramble
1 of 2verb
ram·ble ˈram-bəl 
rambled; rambling ˈram-b(ə-)liŋ
intransitive verb
1
a
: to move aimlessly from place to place
rambled through the little town
b
: to explore idly
After one rambles through the maps for a time … some overall impressions begin to emerge.
John Noble Wilford
John Noble Wilford2
a
: to talk or write in an aimless, erratic, and often long-winded fashion
The hunk starts to ramble on and on, and the women seem quite annoyed. Monk Magazine
Monk Magazine b
: to be related or written in a long-winded or wandering fashion
a story that rambles
3
: to grow or extend irregularly
To me, pea greens are the culinary equivalent of morning glories, sprouting overnight, rambling here and there, turning the grower into a shepherd, at least for the duration. Molly O'Neill
Molly O'Neilltransitive verb
: to wander over : roam
ramble
2 of 2noun
1
: a leisurely excursion for pleasure
especially : an aimless walk
2
: a rambling story or discussion
Synonyms
Verb
- blather (on)
- go on
- maunder
- rattle
- run on
Noun
- excursion
- jaunt
- junket
- outing
- sally
- sashay
- sortie
- spin
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb She rambled for several minutes before introducing the main speaker. He's funny, but he tends to ramble. Noun We went for a ramble along the beach. He encountered many interesting people in his rambles in the country. The first chapter is a 100-page ramble. We had to listen to another one of his long rambles about politics and religion. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Forrest Brown, CNN, 21 Aug. 2022 The property is regulated by National Park zoning restrictions, and anyone can ramble through or graze their flocks there. Hannah Weinberger, Outside Online, 17 July 2014 Cox, who prefers cannabis to drink, can ramble on a bit. New York Times, 21 Jan. 2022 Younger viewers who end up watching the TV special may wince at bits about women who ramble without taking a breath and overpack for weekend vacations. Compiled Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2021 Some are still at it, including the Strokes, who ramble on in their deadpan cool fashion, reuniting every few years for a new album and big festival dates. Jem Aswad, Variety, 9 Sep. 2021 In the end, Adrian’s transformation from frustrated weirdo into psycho killer happens abruptly, and largely offstage, as if Leonard, who likes to ramble on about murder, possesses demonic powers of suggestion. Christian Lorentzen, Harper's Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021 At times, Klam can ramble and become repetitive, but her lively wit carries us along. Washington Post, 7 Aug. 2021 Off the main drag, quaint Victorians and cute cottages start in the foothills and ramble down to the coastline, where even the oceanfront homes are surprisingly understated. San Francisco Chronicle, 1 July 2021 Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2022 Instead of a straight shot out and back across the country, maybe this is the year for a circular ramble in a state with less expensive gas. Forrest Brown, CNN, 24 Mar. 2022 Hikers who want to explore parts of Griffith Park will meet up at 6 p.m. for a ramble followed by yoga (donation based). Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2022 The drama builds to a peak of emotional power in a long and wordless sequence in which Solange abandons herself to a desperate nighttime ramble through the city, which rises to a harrowing, quasi-operatic intensity. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2022 Kennedy, perched atop the drum riser of Brent Fitz, led the crowd, who waved their arms over their heads as the song’s ending unfurled in a jam-like ramble. Jim Ryan, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022 It was followed by a secret and emotional ramble from Khrushchev about the spectre of nuclear holocaust. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2022 Its cast, particularly Nicole Kidman as Ball, is much better than Aaron Sorkin’s exasperating ramble of a movie. Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2022 Streamed from London’s Southwark Playhouse, the play set Potter on a rapid ramble through a troubled mind, barbed with resentment. New York Times, 3 Dec. 2021 See More
Verb
Hanoi-style banh tom (shrimp cakes) is another must-try. Be sure to ramble around the city's Old Quarter with its historical streets and shops trading in jewelry, fabrics and flowers. Forrest Brown, CNN, 21 Aug. 2022 The property is regulated by National Park zoning restrictions, and anyone can ramble through or graze their flocks there. Hannah Weinberger, Outside Online, 17 July 2014 Cox, who prefers cannabis to drink, can ramble on a bit. New York Times, 21 Jan. 2022 Younger viewers who end up watching the TV special may wince at bits about women who ramble without taking a breath and overpack for weekend vacations. Compiled Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2021 Some are still at it, including the Strokes, who ramble on in their deadpan cool fashion, reuniting every few years for a new album and big festival dates. Jem Aswad, Variety, 9 Sep. 2021 In the end, Adrian’s transformation from frustrated weirdo into psycho killer happens abruptly, and largely offstage, as if Leonard, who likes to ramble on about murder, possesses demonic powers of suggestion. Christian Lorentzen, Harper's Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021 At times, Klam can ramble and become repetitive, but her lively wit carries us along. Washington Post, 7 Aug. 2021 Off the main drag, quaint Victorians and cute cottages start in the foothills and ramble down to the coastline, where even the oceanfront homes are surprisingly understated. San Francisco Chronicle, 1 July 2021 Noun
Judd Apatow, at least, is a man who knows a self-aware ramble. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2022 Instead of a straight shot out and back across the country, maybe this is the year for a circular ramble in a state with less expensive gas. Forrest Brown, CNN, 24 Mar. 2022 Hikers who want to explore parts of Griffith Park will meet up at 6 p.m. for a ramble followed by yoga (donation based). Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2022 The drama builds to a peak of emotional power in a long and wordless sequence in which Solange abandons herself to a desperate nighttime ramble through the city, which rises to a harrowing, quasi-operatic intensity. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2022 Kennedy, perched atop the drum riser of Brent Fitz, led the crowd, who waved their arms over their heads as the song’s ending unfurled in a jam-like ramble. Jim Ryan, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022 It was followed by a secret and emotional ramble from Khrushchev about the spectre of nuclear holocaust. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2022 Its cast, particularly Nicole Kidman as Ball, is much better than Aaron Sorkin’s exasperating ramble of a movie. Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2022 Streamed from London’s Southwark Playhouse, the play set Potter on a rapid ramble through a troubled mind, barbed with resentment. New York Times, 3 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, probably alteration of romblen, frequentative of romen to roam
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
ramble 1 of 2
verb
ram·ble ˈram-bəl
rambled; rambling
1
: to go aimlessly from place to place : wander
She spent a year rambling around the country.
2
: to talk or write without a clear purpose or point
3
: to grow or extend in many directions
a rambling vine
ramble
2 of 2noun
: a long stroll with no particular destination
ramble 1 of 2
noun
1
as in excursion
a short trip for pleasure the couple's weekend rambles up and down the valley in search of interesting antiques Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- excursion
- jaunt
- tour
- walk
- outing
- sally
- journey
- travel(s)
- expedition
- sortie
- detour
- odyssey
- spin
- junket
- sashay
- voyage
- hike
- trek
- pilgrimage
- peregrination
- safari
- circuit
2
as in stroll
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure our usual practice is to take a ramble around the neighborhood after dinner Synonyms & Similar Words
- stroll
- walk
- wander
- amble
- trip
- saunter
- constitutional
- perambulation
- parade
- turn
- march
- tour
- travel
- trek
- hike
- promenade
- traverse
- range
- excursion
- expedition
- jaunt
- paseo
- sally
- tramp
- traipse
- peregrination
- walkabout
- traversal
- outing
- pilgrimage
- progress
- spin
- safari
- sashay
- junket
ramble
2 of 2verb
1
as in to rattle
to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point the teenagers sat around the pizza parlor, rambling on about dating, homework, movies, and the local football team Synonyms & Similar Words
- rattle
- wander
- digress
- maunder
- chat
- go on
- stray
- deviate
- run on
- blabber
- sidetrack
- run one's mouth
- blither
- blather (on)
- prattle
- chatter
- gibber
- burble
- blab
- gabble
- waffle
- gab
- prate
- jabber
- patter
- drool
- drivel
- bumble
2
as in to wander
to move about from place to place aimlessly by tirelessly rambling around San Francisco for a week we probably saw more of it than many residents ever have Synonyms & Similar Words
- wander
- roam
- drift
- stroll
- meander
- cruise
- rove
- float
- galavant
- traipse
- maunder
- range
- amble
- gallivant
- mooch
- saunter
- bat
- dawdle
- knock (about)
- gad (about)
- kick around
- vagabond
- mope
- straggle
- hobo
- gypsy
- stray
- tramp
- mill (about or around)
3
as in to stroll
to travel by foot for exercise or pleasure we're planning to ramble all over the highland moors when we're in Dartmoor Synonyms & Similar Words
- stroll
- wander
- amble
- saunter
- walk
- hike
- roam
- perambulate
- tramp
- rove
- trek
- march
- traverse
- tromp
- promenade
- traipse
- peregrinate
- power walk
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of ramble are meander, roam, rove, traipse, and wander. While all these words mean "to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose," ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.
the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point
In some situations, the words meander and ramble are roughly equivalent. However, meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.
the river meanders for miles through rich farmland
While the synonyms roam and ramble are close in meaning, roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.
liked to roam through the woods
Although the words rove and ramble have much in common, rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.
armed brigands roved over the countryside
The words traipse and ramble are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.
traipsed all over town looking for the right dress
The synonyms wander and ramble are sometimes interchangeable, but wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course.
fond of wandering about the square just watching the people