List of English Words for Manners of Walking
Published Author, Communications Coach and Avid Biker with a penchant for Poetry
We see people around us everyday: busy people walking down the street in a hurry or not-so-busy people strolling in a park. But do you know how to describe the manner in which a person walks?
Don't worry if you don't know. Here's a list of words to help you with your vocabulary. Words mentioned here don't strictly refer to walking. Some refer to human movement as a whole. Please note that the words aren't necessarily arranged in an alphabetical order.
1. Gait - it simply means the manner in which a person walks. So, if someone has a kingly gait, it means that he walks like a king.
2. Amble - to walk in a leisurely manner as if strolling in a park.
The old man ambled along the road.
3. Falter - to walk unsteadily or hesitantly as if the person isn't sure about his steps.
Peter faltered in his step and fell down the stairs.
4. Flounder - to move clumsily as if in mud. Flop around like a fish out of water. In fact Flounder is a species of flatfish!
May floundered on the river bank trying to board a boat.
5. Limp - walk as if injured in one leg.
The naughty boy limped back from school.
6. Lumber - to walk heavily.
John lumbered up the hill while his friends reached the top.
7. Lurch - to make a sudden and unsteady movement.
The zombies lurched towards the lone survivor!
8. Ramble - move around aimlessly. (Notice similarity with amble?)
Peter and his friends rambled about the city.
9. Saunter - move around aimlessly in a leisurely pace. (Kind of similar to ramble and amble!)
May sauntered around the locality as Julia waited for Griffin.
10. Skulk - to move in a stealthy manner.
The painter skulked around the village tying to hide from prying eyes.
11. Stagger - walk with great difficulty. (Compare with lumber)
The old man staggered across the mound in search of the fabled gold mine.
12. Stroll - walk around in a leisurely manner. (Compare with saunter)
The tourists strolled in the temple complex.
13. Stumble - walk clumsily and also trip over an obstacle while walking. (Compare with falter)
She stumbled over a piece of rock, which later turned out to be an uncut diamond.
14. Swagger - walk with a lofty gait.
The prince swaggered up the road to his palace.
15. Strut - walk in a proud manner.
The actor strutted across the stage to receive his grand prize.
16. Totter - to walk in an unstable manner.
It was suffocating inside the room. So, I tottered towards the door and opened it.
17. Teeter - to sway back and forth on the edge of some high place like a cliff or a rooftop.
I teetered at the edge of the cliff as I looked down at the ocean below.
18. Trudge - to walk heavily or wearily as if with tired legs. (Compare with lumber)
The traveler trudged along the road. The destination seemed too far.
19. Tramp - (same as trudge) to walk wearily.
The traveler tramped along the seemingly endless road.
20. Waddle - to walk with short steps, tilting the body from side to side like a duck.
The child waddled towards his father.
21 Wade - to walk through shallow water.
The firefighters waded through the flood waters to rescue the family stuck inside the building.
22. Hobble - to move unsteadily as if lame or with tied up legs.
The drunk man hobbled across the floor to flee the barfight.
23. Reel - to walk shakily.
He reeled in fever but somehow reached home.
24. Toddle - to walk unsteadily like a small child.
Grown up though he was, he preferred to toddle towards his wife. That was their foreplay.
25. Stride - to walk with long steps.
Peter Hawkins strode (past tense of stride) along the field like a conqueror.
Bonus words
Meander - to move in a curvy path.
The bikers meandered around the mountain as they moved closer to Darjeeling.
Somnambulate - walk in sleep
Somnambulist - a sleep-walker
Careen - to sway heavily from side to side.
