wander

play

verb wan·der \ˈwän-dər\

Definition of wander

wandered

;

wandering

play \ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ\

intransitive verb
1a : to move about without a fixed course, aim, or goalb : to go idly about : ramble wandering around the house
2 : to follow a winding course : meander
3a : to go astray (as from a course) : stray wandered away from the groupb : to go astray morally : errc : to lose normal mental contact : stray in thought his mind wandered
transitive verb
: to roam over wandered the halls

wander

noun

wanderer

play \ˈwän-dər-ər\ noun

See wander defined for English-language learners

See wander defined for kids

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 of wander from the Web

After wandering the stalls of the 70th annual 57th Street Art Fair, head over to Hyde Park’s downtown to sample craft beer, grab a snack and take in some live music.

— joseph hernandez, chicagotribune.com, "5 things to eat, drink, do this weekend", 31 May 2017
For $24, folks can wander through the tent and see virtual reality movies, full-room art installations and sculptures meant to play with perception.

— kinsee morlan, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego’s the guinea pig for a new kind of exhibition", 31 May 2017
In his previous start, the veteran right-hander struggled with wandering command and far too much solid contact, giving up 10 runs in four innings pitched, including eight in one inning.

— ryan divish, The Seattle Times, "Mariners avoid being swept and shut out in Boston with a 5-0 victory", 28 May 2017
His dogs had been missing after wandering from their Chicago home, and Hanania allegedly identified himself as the owner to a woman who found them and posted an ad on Facebook, authorities said.

— frank vaisvilas, Daily Southtown, "Rally held to support abused poodles", 28 May 2017
Seven months before his assassination, the president threw a party on his yacht, complete with live music, Dom Pérignon, and wandering hands.

— elaine godfrey, The Atlantic, "The Atlantic Politics & Policy Daily: Like a G7", 26 May 2017
Although Parkville was never the scene of a major battle, Southern-leaning bushwhackers raided the town in 1864 and shot several residents, including a Mr. Brink who lost an ear to wandering hogs before the body could be rescued from the street.

— martha zirschky, kansascity, "From riverboat landing to suburban mecca: Parkville a thriving town in the Northland", 26 May 2017
Deer grazed on bushes nearby and raccoons wandered liberally, enticed by the bowls of food and water set out by Mr. Shields.

— catherine porter photographs and video by leslye davis, New York Times, "At His Own Wake, Celebrating Life and the Gift of Death", 25 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wander'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of wander

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

NEW!

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of 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

WANDER Defined for English Language Learners

wander

play

verb

Definition of wander for English Language Learners

: to move around or go to different places usually without having a particular purpose or direction
: to follow a path with many turns
: to go away from a path, course, etc.

WANDER Defined for Kids

wander

play

verb wan·der \ˈwän-dər\

Definition of wander for Students

wandered

;

wandering

1 : to move about without a goal or purpose : ramble
2 : to get off the right path or leave the right area : stray “She would never wander far away alone … you know how timid she is.” — Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea
3 : to lose concentration My mind began to wander.
4 : to follow a winding course The path wanders through the woods.