roam

1 of 2

verb

ˈrōm 

roamed; roaming; roams

intransitive verb

1

: to go from place to place without purpose or direction : wander

roamed about, enjoying the scenery

2

: to travel purposefully unhindered through a wide area

cattle roaming in search of water

3

: to use a cellular phone outside one's local calling area

roaming charges

transitive verb

: to range or wander over

spent the day roaming the hills

roam noun

roamer noun

roamer

2 of 2

noun

roam·​er

ˈrōmə(r)

plural -s

: one that roams

Synonyms of roam

Verb

• wander

Choose the Right Synonym for roam

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 roam in a Sentence

Verb

The cattle roamed in search of water.

Goats roam free on the mountain.

He roamed about in search of work.

The chickens are able to roam around freely in the farmyard.

We roamed around town for a while before dinner.

She liked to roam through the woods.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Rio Blanco County Commissioner Callie Scritchfield, however, said captivity is more humane than allowing the horses to roam free. — Stina Sieg, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026

Ranch activities include hurtling through agility courses, swimming beneath a massive artificial waterfall and roaming sprawling fantasy playgrounds built expressly for their entertainment. — Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Even so, an Associated Press photographer on Thursday saw migrants still roaming the streets. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Rammagerðin Skip the puffin shops (what the locals call the run-of-the-mill souvenir stops) and set aside some time to roam around one of Rammagerðin’s locations—my favorite is tucked into Harpa, the opera house designed by Olafur Eliasson. — Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English romen

Noun

Middle English romere, from romen to roam + -ere -er

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing roam

• his/her/my eyes roam

Rhymes for roam

• brome
• chrome
• comb
• combe
• crome
• dome
• foam
• gnome
• holm
• loam
• tome
• acrosome

Kids Definition

roam

verb

ˈrōm 

1

: to go or go over from place to place without a plan

roam the hills

cattle roaming in search of water

2

: to use a cell phone outside one's local calling area

roamer noun