amble

American  

[am-buhl] / ˈæm bəl /

verb (used without object)

ambled, ambling

1. to go at a slow, easy pace; stroll; saunter.

   He ambled around the town.

   Synonyms:

   meander, ramble

2. (of a horse) to go at a slow pace with the legs moving in lateral pairs and usually having a four-beat rhythm.

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noun

1. an ambling gait.

2. a slow, easy walk or gentle pace.

3. a stroll.

amble British  

/ ˈæmbəl /

verb

1. to walk at a leisurely relaxed pace

2. (of a horse) to move slowly, lifting both legs on one side together

3. to ride a horse at an amble or leisurely pace

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noun

1. a leisurely motion in walking

2. a leisurely walk

3. the ambling gait of a horse

Other Word Forms

• ambler noun
• amblingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of amble

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French ambler < Latin ambulāre to walk, equivalent to amb- ambi- + -ulāre to step ( *-el- + stem vowel -ā-; cognate with Welsh el- may go, Greek elaúnein to set in motion)

Explanation

To amble is to take a leisurely, pleasurable walk. Care to amble down a pleasant country road instead of reading the rest of this word description? That would certainly be understandable. Amble is both a noun meaning "a stroll" and a verb meaning "to walk in a slow, leisurely way." You might amble (or take an amble) over to the snack table and grab a brownie. Amble comes from the Latin ambulare, which means "to walk about," as in ambulatory. Weirdly enough, it was once only used for horses or those on horseback. We use it for people now, but it still retains some of its horse-like, country feel.

Example Sentences

Civilian gawkers amble up the road, snapping photos with the accumulating floral tributes.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

Visitors to the Holly museum would amble over those specs as they arrived and departed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Described as a thriving neighbourhood, Canton was rated for its selection of shops and cafes "which are well worth the amble out of town".

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025

We step back out into the cool night, amble back to the center and take a seat in front of the arcade at Café Iruña.

From Salon • Nov. 8, 2025

I rest my hands on my knees and breathe deeply as the antique shamblers amble close enough to be a threat.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Related Words

• drift
• loiter
• meander
• mosey
• ramble
• sashay
• saunter
• stroll
• toddle
• wander