Lumbering

Practice This Word

To move slowly and heavily in a clumsy, awkward, and often noisy manner.

verb

Lumbering

To move slowly and heavily in a clumsy, awkward, and often noisy manner.

verb

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Imagine This

Imagine a bulky bear squeezing through a dense forest, each step crushing twigs and leaves with a loud, heavy thud as it lumbers forward.

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Sounds Like

LUM-ber-ing

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Looks Like

lumber (timber)

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Remember This

Lumber describes timber; to lumber is to move as if made of heavy timber—slow, heavy, and awkward.

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Other Forms

lumberverb

lumberedverb

lumberingadjective

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Connect With

plod, trudge, ponderous, ungainly

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Note

Usually used intransitively (lumber along, lumber through). It should describe movement rather than a direct action on an object (you don’t typically lumber a thing). Distinguish from the noun lumber (the timber).

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Study Deeper

Examples

The lumbering bear moved slowly through the forest, snapping branches as it went.
A lumbering truck blocked the road, its engine groaning under the load.

Synonyms

clumsyawkwardponderousheavy-footedungainly

Antonyms

gracefulnimbleagile

Etymology

From the noun lumber (timber) with the sense of heaviness; the verb to lumber originally described moving as if one were made of heavy timber, and the -ing form marks the present participle.

Mnemonic

LUMBERING = LUMBER + ING. Picture carrying heavy timber and taking slow, noisy strides; the word literally echoes the weight it describes.