wandering

1 of 2

adjective

wan·​der·​ing ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ 

: characterized by aimless, slow, or pointless movement: such as

a

: that winds or meanders

a wandering course

b

: not keeping a rational or sensible course : vagrant

c

: nomadic

wandering tribes

d

of a plant : having long runners or tendrils

wandering

2 of 2

noun

1

: a going about from place to place

—often used in plural

2

: movement away from the proper, normal, or usual course or place

—often used in plural

Synonyms of wandering

Adjective

• rambling

Examples of wandering in a Sentence

Adjective

your decidedly wandering essay loses its punch—stick to one theme

a wandering carnival that visited small towns all over the South

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Cocktail Magic includes bars with different themes and wandering magicians. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026

Released in 2022, this otherworldly timepiece puts a contemporary spin on the wandering hours complication that AP debuted within the original Starwheel (Ref. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 May 2026

Noun

Vilnius is best explored on foot, with church-hopping and unplanned wandering rewarded at every turn. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2026

Still ahead of her were European wanderings; the death of her youngest son, Tad (from pleurisy, at eighteen); and a brief confinement in an Illinois insane asylum. —Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wandering

• wandering albatross
• wandering dude
• wandering eye

Rhymes for wandering

• laundering
• pondering
• squandering

Medical Definition

wandering

1 of 2 adjective

wan·​der·​ing ˈwän-də-riŋ 

: floating

a wandering spleen

wandering

2 of 2 noun

: movement of a tooth out of its normal position especially as a result of periodontal disease