meander

1 of 2

noun

me·​an·​der mē-ˈan-dər How to pronounce meander (audio)
1
: a winding path or course
the new path, which he supposed only to make a few meandersSamuel Johnson
especially : labyrinth
2
: a turn or winding of a stream
The meander eventually became isolated from the main stream.
meandrous adjective

meander

2 of 2

verb

meandered; meandering mē-ˈan-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce meander (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to follow a winding or intricate course
across the ceiling meandered a long crackJohn Galsworthy
2
: to wander aimlessly or casually without urgent destination : ramble
he meandered with the sightseers gawping at the boat peopleJohn le Carré

Did you know?

Meander comes from Greek Maiandros, an old name for a winding river in Asia Minor that is now known as the Menderes. Despite this origin, the word is more commonly used to refer to a person's wandering course than a river's.

Choose the Right Synonym for meander

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 meander in a Sentence

Verb The path meanders through the garden. We meandered around the village. The conversation meandered on for hours.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Afterwards, meander over to Cocktail Kitchen to sip on happy hour specials while watching the Gap come to life from your seat on the balcony. Anna Haines, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Leave your bike outside and meander through the sloping hills covered in stubby graves, statues of veiled angels, and grand mausoleums. Francesca Carington, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Jan. 2024 Advertisement Books Sheila Heti recounts the ABCs of her evolution in new book of diary entries Feb. 5, 2024 Questions of fate and identity meander through these stories. Kate Tuttle, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Love Is an Ex-country, by Randa Jarrar In this fragmented memoir that stitches together Jarrar’s many excursions through America and beyond in her 30s, the writer doesn’t so much drive as saunter across the country—sashay, roll, meander, and play around in it. Emma Copley Eisenberg, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2024 Our bandleader has a wayfaring meander that dances in percussive bursts while his fellow players burble, simmer and sparkle. Christopher R. Weingarten, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2023 Outside, dark decking bordered by plumes of flowering shrubbery meanders along the backside of the house, while a small container pool includes a window for checking out the view of the ocean while swimming underwater. Mark David, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2023 While the rest of Needtobreathe meanders around, Rinehart’s eyes peer out from underneath a flat-brim hat pulled down low, shooting a look of intensity and seriousness. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2023 The easy single-track meanders for a half-mile through wildflower meadows and mixed conifer woodlands before bumping into the Big Bang Trail, the turnaround point for this exploratory trip. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 8 Sep. 2023
Verb
But between its meandering roads stand centuries-old monuments and medieval ruins that put the Indian capital on a par with the world’s great ancient cities, historians say. Rhea Mogul, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024 The passage will be as a person originally wrote it, including likely misspellings, non-sequiturs, meandering trains of thought, and the like. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Outdoors, the woodsy grounds host a meandering creek, an al fresco dining area bolstered by a grilling station, and plunge pool that doubles as a spa. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2024 Devil’s ivy looks lovely trailing out of a hanging basket, climbing up a pole or other structure, or just being left to meander over a tabletop or mantel. Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2023 Rounding it all out: lushly landscaped grounds hosting meandering pathways and an additional waterfall that empties into into a spa. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2024 The result is a fluidity of color that meanders through Portugal’s countryside, coast, small towns, and cities. Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2024 The first-ever route will sweep through France’s Burgundy and Provence regions before meandering along the Cote d’Azur, passing Cannes, Nice, and Monte Carlo before entering Italy and glimpsing its charming hillside towns on the way to Portofino. Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Jan. 2024 The tie is meant to go north and south, in a straight line, not meander upward and outward. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 4 Dec. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Latin maeander, from Greek maiandros, from Maiandros (now Menderes), river in Asia Minor

First Known Use

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

circa 1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of meander was in 1599

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Dictionary Entries Near meander

Cite this Entry

“Meander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meander. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

meander

1 of 2 noun
me·​an·​der mē-ˈan-dər How to pronounce meander (audio)
1
: a turn or winding of a stream
2
: a winding path or course

meander

2 of 2 verb
meandered; meandering
-d(ə-)riŋ
1
: to follow a winding or complicated course
2
: to wander without a goal or purpose

More from Merriam-Webster on meander

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