wander

verb

wan·​der ˈwän-dər 

wandered; wandering ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

a

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

b

: to go idly about : ramble

wandering around the house

2

: to follow a winding course : meander

3

a

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

wandered away from the group

b

: to go astray morally : err

c

: 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

Synonyms of wander

• roam
• drift
• stroll

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

Examples of wander in a Sentence

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

This one stars Cox himself as a mysterious and formidable old man in an undertaker’s suit and parson’s hat who wanders into an Arizona border town in 1890 to gather the names of dead Mexican laborers. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

Talking Animals Books in Grapevine is leading the second annual event, encouraging book lovers to wander beyond Main Street and into the heart of the area's indie literary scene. — Cbs News Texas Staff, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

More Phillies players and staff joined them, wandering around the field and the house from the movie for the next 40 minutes. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Each year, countless shards of this ancient comet collide with our wandering planet. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wandren, from Old English wandrian; akin to Middle High German wandern to wander, Old English windan to wind, twist

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing wander

• go for a wander
• have/take a wander

Rhymes for wander

• condor
• fonder
• launder
• mandir
• maunder
• ponder
• squander
• yonder
• responder
• transponder

Kids Definition

wander

verb

wan·​der ˈwän-dər 

wandered; wandering -d(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to move about without a purpose

2

: to follow a winding course : meander

3

a

: to get off the right course : stray

wandered away

b

: to lose one's normal mental concentration

her mind wandered

wander noun

wanderer

-dər-ər 

noun