rambling

[ ram-bling ]

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

rambling

/ 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

Other Words From

• rambling·ly adverb
• rambling·ness noun
• un·rambling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rambling¹

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

Example Sentences

In a rambling video message posted Thursday morning, Jones called the takeover a “total attack on free speech”.

From BBC

“We’re going to make America better than it’s ever been,” Trump said in a rambling speech at the convention center in West Palm Beach, Fla., frequently diverging from prepared remarks.

From Los Angeles Times

For all his endless rambling nonsense, Donald Trump's message can be boiled down to a simple lie: If one group of people does well, it must necessarily be at the expense of another.

From Salon

He is, according to the rambling narratives at his campaign stops, the antidote and protector of the working class.

From Los Angeles Times

Comparing the segment that aired to a video recorded by an attendee, CNN found that Trump's more rambling answers and occasional lies were scrubbed from the final product.

From Salon

Related Words

• circuitous
• disjointed
• incoherent
• long-winded