MEANDERING Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

meandering 1 of 2

adjective

as in rambling

passing from one topic to another a meandering interview with the presidential hopeful that covered everything from his family life to his proposed foreign policy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

meandering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of meander

as in wandering

to move about from place to place aimlessly theatergoers meandering around the lobby waiting for the play to start

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 meandering

Verb

Vaniček has certainly delivered — a relentlessly violent, overlong, one-note, meandering grindhouse that lacks its predecessors' Looney Tunes approach to horror and humor. — ABC News, 8 July 2026 Photos captured them meandering through cobblestone streets with their arms wrapped around each other, crossing the lake by wooden speedboat and sharing a kiss in the rain. — Bryan West, USA Today, 7 July 2026 What’s so beautiful about the speech Hannah Moscovitch wrote is that meandering thought process, with threads of thoughts that disappear and reappear. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 July 2026 The president confirmed that Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of weapons giant Lockheed Martin, is footing the bill toward the end of a lengthy and meandering Oval Office event on Monday, July 6. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026 After passing Tacoma and Olympia, the route continues south through Washington’s lush, green forests, meandering rivers, and quiet towns tucked between tall trees. — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026 Hogan’s testimony was, at times, meandering and difficult to follow. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026 After a meandering path to the NBA, Spencer was good enough on his two-way deal last year to earn a promotion, as well as brief meme status for his in-game histrionics. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 26 June 2026 On the Water Rent a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard from Crystal River Outfitters and explore Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore via the meandering Crystal River. — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 24 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for meandering

Adjective

Honeysuckle The warm, heady, floral scent of honeysuckle, which is strongest at dusk, is instantly recognizable, and the romantically rambling vines and tubular blooms make the climbing varieties cottage-garden classics.

— Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 22 June 2026
Vocals have an offhand nonchalance instead of hogging the spotlight, melodies sneak up on you rather than announce themselves, and the guitars avoid crunchy riffs and overdriven twang in favor of tart rambling and clean supporting chords.

— Reed Jackson, SPIN, 19 June 2026

Definition of rambling

Verb

The fishing village has become the latest tourist destination to introduce a fine for anyone found wandering its streets bare-chested or in swimwear.

— Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Ángel Jesús Romero Audivet’s family has spent days wandering among the injured and the dead left behind by the earthquakes in Venezuela.

— Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Definition of wandering

Verb

Yes, the likes of Julio Torres and Andrew Scott were casually roaming about, but even more typical was the sight of friends throughout the venue unexpectedly running into one another.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 14 July 2026
This is because sandboxes can become infected with fecal microbes and parasites from wild and domesticated animals—including millions of free-roaming cats.

— Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 13 July 2026

Definition of roaming

Verb

Adkins then began stabbing himself with the box cutter and drifting in and out of consciousness, the affidavit states.

— Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
There was the part of her that was drifting, happy to lie in silk sheets and drink milk and sit with a gull on her lap, rapt, staring into eternity.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of drifting

Verb

These might be mineral water showers or baths, cold-water enemas, or just drinking 3 glasses of stinky, sulfurous spring water daily before breakfast, while strolling and engaging in pleasant conversation on a landscaped promenade.

— Veronique Greenwood, Time, 9 July 2026
Here’s how to spend a day strolling, dining, and taking it as slowly as the locals do.

— Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026

Definition of strolling

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meandered

meandering

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“Meandering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meandering. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of meandering

adjective

verb

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