wandering

1 of 2

adjective

wan·​der·​ing ˈwän-d(ə-)riŋ 

: characterized by aimless, slow, or pointless movement: such as

a

: that winds or meanders

a wandering course

b

: not keeping a rational or sensible course : vagrant

c

: nomadic

wandering tribes

d

of a plant : having long runners or tendrils

wandering

2 of 2

noun

1

: a going about from place to place

—often used in plural

2

: movement away from the proper, normal, or usual course or place

—often used in plural

Synonyms of wandering

Adjective

• rambling

Examples of wandering in a Sentence

Adjective

your decidedly wandering essay loses its punch—stick to one theme

a wandering carnival that visited small towns all over the South

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler star as John Stewart and Hal Jordan, a pair of road-wise and wandering supes investigating a murder in the American heartland. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025

Set in Ezo, Japan, in 1603, nearly 330 years after the events of Tsushima, Yotei follows Atsu, a wandering mercenary who is hunting for the Yotei Six, a band of disgraced samurai who killed Atsu’s family years earlier. —Richard Newby, Time, 6 Dec. 2025

Noun

Nestled deep within the twisting metaphysical narratives and international wandering of Lux is a quick trip back to home base. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025

Others described sightings of a woman dressed in black wandering hallways, gardens and along the seashore. —Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wandering

• wandering albatross
• wandering dude
• wandering eye

Rhymes for wandering

• laundering
• pondering
• squandering

Medical Definition

wandering

1 of 2 adjective

wan·​der·​ing ˈwän-də-riŋ 

: floating

a wandering spleen

wandering

2 of 2 noun

: movement of a tooth out of its normal position especially as a result of periodontal disease