wander

verb

wan·der | \ ˈwän-dər

wandered; wandering\ ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ

Definition of wander

intransitive verb

1a : 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

3a : 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

Other Words from wander Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about wander

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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

wander, roam, and ramble mean to move about from place to place without a reason or plan. wander is used for moving about without following a fixed course. The tribes wandered in the desert for forty years. roam is used for the carefree act of wandering over a wide area often for the sake of enjoyment. I roamed over the hills and through the meadows. ramble is used for wandering in a careless way. Horses rambled over the open range.

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

Downtown, wander the main shopping streets such as Schillerstrasse, Windischenstrasse, and Wielandstrasse. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Touring Germany’s Most Festive Christmas Markets," 18 Dec. 2018 Brassaï, a restless, peripatetic and sociable man, wandered the Paris streets after dark. — William Meyers, WSJ, "‘Brassaï’ Review: We See Paris Through His Lens," 8 Dec. 2018 To produce the Mad Max-esque Tapacios, Cappello wandered the streets of the Doctores neighborhood, an area now known for its auto repair shops, for scrap materials then brought them to a local welder, who created vehicles out of them. — Diana Budds, Curbed, "4 lessons Mexican designers can teach the world," 19 Oct. 2018 Speaker stacks stood, black and blocky, near a crackling bonfire and a pack of wandering horses. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Kanye West’s Ye Sparks and Sputters," 1 June 2018 As many as 1 in 59 children are now identified on the autism spectrum; of those, 49% are at a greater risk of wandering. — Damar Services, Indianapolis Star, "Meet the wristband that helps first responders find missing people faster," 1 June 2018 His playing provides a mobile canvas for Volden, who plays in a kind of post-Derek Bailey style, except with passages of wandering melody or conventional chords that Bailey would've avoided. — Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader, "Music / Post No Bills Jenny Hval collaborator Håvard Volden digs deeper into abstract sound in his own projects," 27 Apr. 2018 Get the best of desert hiking at Aravaipa Canyon in Arizona, which wanders through the cool waters of Aravaipa Creek (yes, your feet will get wet) . — Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, "How to Choose a Trip for Your First Backpacking Experience," 11 Nov. 2018 Billy spent the next many years wandering through the United States. — Megan Friedman, Country Living, "‘Alaskan Bush People' Cast: How Well Do You Know the Brown Family?," 23 Sep. 2018

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.

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Last Updated

17 Jan 2019

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Time Traveler for wander

The first known use of wander was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for wander

wander

verb

English Language Learners Definition of wander

: 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.

See the full definition for wander in the English Language Learners Dictionary

wander

verb

wan·der | \ ˈwän-dər

wandered; wandering

Kids Definition of wander

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.