meander 1 of 2

meander

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb meander contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of meander are ramble, roam, rove, traipse, and wander. While all these words mean "to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose," meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.

the river meanders for miles through rich farmland

When would ramble be a good substitute for meander?

The words ramble and meander can be used in similar contexts, but ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.

the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point

When might roam be a better fit than meander?

The meanings of roam and meander largely overlap; however, roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.

liked to roam through the woods

When can rove be used instead of meander?

While in some cases nearly identical to meander, rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.

armed brigands roved over the countryside

When is traipse a more appropriate choice than meander?

Although the words traipse and meander have much in common, traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

When is it sensible to use wander instead of meander?

The synonyms wander and meander are sometimes interchangeable, but wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course.

fond of wandering about the square just watching the people

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of meander
Verb
In between my questions, the conversation meanders freely amongst the room. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025 Additionally, most episodes are meandering, disjointed, and humorless. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
The 27 Most Beautiful Places In Texas, According To A Local Jekyll Island This Georgia barrier island on the Atlantic Coast—between Jacksonville and Savannah—offers more than 20 miles of bike trails and walking routes that meander through marshes and hover atop wooden boardwalks. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025 Here's where to hike, explore, and meander in The Peach State. Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for meander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meander
Verb
  • 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
Noun
  • Long story short, the uncontrolled airflow of a standard blow dryer can create tangles galore on loose to tight curl patterns while the nozzle detachment used to create a smooth blowout effect does away with curls entirely.
    Georgia Day, Vogue, 14 May 2025
  • Before Carrier’s tangle of fraudulent loans collapsed and was exposed in court, there were signs of trouble.
    Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Phillip left that night with a wad of cash, and, still under the influence, began roaming the city.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 12 May 2025
  • Animals roam freely without the need for paved paths.
    Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • More than 100,000 motorists pass through Wheat Ridge, Denver and southwestern Adams County every day on Interstates 70 and 76, often in maddening traffic snarls.
    John Meyer, Denver Post, 5 May 2025
  • Traffic snarls are one reason why Hiaasen ultimately returned to eastern Florida.
    Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Challenging the narrative Defense attorney Stuart Adelstein strolled over to the lectern, his eyes piercing the jurors just feet away from him.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 May 2025
  • The Courant reported, in a story written in 1991, when the Pedlar approached its 100th anniversary, that the inn had seen many famous people stroll into its Victorian-style lobby and its dining room.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • One web company, Meta, has explored Ethernet fabrics for AI clusters as well as InfiniBand, an alternative networking standard pioneered partly by Mellanox, a networking hardware maker that Nvidia acquired for $7 billion in 2020.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 14 May 2025
  • Proton Mail wipes out web beacons, which are images that have no purpose beyond penetrating your privacy.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Rebalance Regularly Over time, your portfolio may drift from your original allocation due to market movements.
    Francis Gingras Roy, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • Flower beds burst with color thanks to the volunteer Village Gardeners, heritage buildings peek out from redwoods, and the hum of conversation drifts from coffee cups at Sue’s cafe.
    Belal Aftab, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • But we could just as easily get lost in El Born and the Gothic Quarter’s labyrinths, looking for dumplings or the best Catalan restaurant.
    Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 6 May 2025
  • The rehearsal space for the Metropolitan Opera’s orchestra is three levels below a parking garage, amid a labyrinth of dingy hallways and exposed ceiling pipes.
    Jane Bua, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Meander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meander. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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