rove

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rove contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rove are meander, ramble, roam, traipse, and wander. While all these words mean "to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose," rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.

armed brigands roved over the countryside

When is meander a more appropriate choice than rove?

The words meander and rove are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.

the river meanders for miles through rich farmland

Where would ramble be a reasonable alternative to rove?

Although the words ramble and rove have much in common, ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.

the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point

When would roam be a good substitute for rove?

The words roam and rove can be used in similar contexts, but roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.

liked to roam through the woods

When might traipse be a better fit than rove?

The meanings of traipse and rove largely overlap; however, traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

In what contexts can wander take the place of rove?

While in some cases nearly identical to rove, 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 rove The Vikings, though, felt confident in Harrison Smith and Theo Jackson as starters in the deep half with Josh Metellus roving around underneath. Alec Lewis, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025 The museum’s new space offers a permanent home for its roving presentations — now free of charge to visitors — which trace the history of public housing from its origins in the New Deal to the present day. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025 Then, of course, there are still the roving vendors hawking options. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 2 Apr. 2025 Leading the trend is the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience, a roving utopia in the sky that caters to the traveler who craves both exclusivity and immersion. Caroline Tell, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rove
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rove
Verb
  • Those two have scheduled meet and greets, but other characters like The Invisible Man and Ygor roam throughout Dark Universe.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • The refrigerator was not cold enough and two cats roamed the shop, violating state food code.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
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
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
  • But the bullpen has drifted to the bottom third of the league thanks to a series of changes from last year, none bigger than Hoffman’s signing in Toronto.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 13 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rove.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rove. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on rove

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!