wander

verb

wan·​der ˈwän-dər How to pronounce wander (audio)
wandered; wandering ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce wander (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: 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
3
a
: 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
wander noun
wanderer noun
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
George, a backyard community cat who took up residence at the Loma Verde complex in Lakeland, Florida, grew impatient after getting neutered at the local SPCA and wandered nearly three miles back home, according to a press release shared with PEOPLE on Monday, May 19. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 19 May 2025 Researchers aimed to estimate the number of deaths each year caused by two factors: inadequate fencing to prevent young children from wandering into swimming pools and Americans not wearing a life jacket while boating. Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 16 May 2025 Signs include house-training problems, memory loss, disorientation and confusion, startling easily, staring into space or at walls, wandering aimlessly, getting stuck in corners, getting lost in familiar places, and obsessive behaviors, among others. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025 Built as part of the Cardiff Hall plantation, the property had fallen into near ruin; chickens and the odd goat wandered through the living room. Isabel Wilkinson Schor, New York Times, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for wander

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wander. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

wander

verb
wan·​der ˈwän-dər How to pronounce wander (audio)
wandered; wandering -d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce wander (audio)
1
: to move about without a purpose
2
: to follow a winding course : meander
3
a
: to get off the right course : stray
wandered away
b
: to lose one's normal mental concentration
her mind wandered
wander noun
wanderer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wander

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