wander

verb

wan·der ˈwän-dər

wandered; wandering ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ

Synonyms of wander next

intransitive verb

: to move about without a fixed course, aim, or goal

: to go idly about : ramble

wandering around the house

: to follow a winding course : meander

: to go astray (as from a course) : stray

wandered away from the group

: to go astray morally : err

: to lose normal mental contact : stray in thought

his mind wandered

transitive verb

: to roam over

wandered the halls

wander noun

wanderer

ˈwän-dər-ər

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for wander

wander, roam, ramble, rove, traipse, meander mean to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose.

wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course.

fond of wandering about the square just watching the people

roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.

liked to roam through the woods

ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.

the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point

rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.

armed brigands roved over the countryside

traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.

the river meanders for miles through rich farmland

Example Sentences

I was just wandering around the house. They wandered down the street. Students were wandering the halls. He wandered away from the trail and got lost.

Recent Examples on the Web Afterwards, be sure to explore the town of Annecy, and wander through the cobblestoned streets, and along the twisting canals. —

Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2020 Soon enough, Solari and Pasha Makhrinsky, from Kyiv, Ukraine, wandered upstairs to chat. —

Julia Carmel, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2023 Goats, cows, and pedestrians wander by the two unassuming shipping containers along a street in Niger’s riverside capital without a second thought. —

Nick Roll, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 May 2023 The Ioniq 6's impressive range gave us the confidence to wander away from the interstate and check out many Route 66 relics. —

Greg Pajo, Car and Driver, 13 May 2023 Steve has wandered down to the Grey Muzzle Kennel on a few Fridays, taking home a dog for a few days. —

The Indianapolis Star, 11 May 2023 When subjected to the dark, the mice’s compass wandered about, sometimes aimlessly, and sometimes with a pattern influenced by the previous cues. —

Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 3 May 2023 During his time in Lagos, for example, he and Linda were mugged at knifepoint while walking the streets, oblivious to the warnings they’d been given about wandering at night. —

Andy Meek, Billboard, 2 May 2023 Despite his loving nature, Petey finds himself in need of a new home, as he was found as a stray, wandering a canal, with injuries to his neck. —

The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 28 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wander.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.