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wander

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb wander contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wander are meander, ramble, roam, rove, and traipse. While all these words 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

When might meander be a better fit than wander?

The words meander and wander 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

When is ramble a more appropriate choice than wander?

The meanings of ramble and wander largely overlap; however, 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 wander?

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

liked to roam through the woods

When can rove be used instead of wander?

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

armed brigands roved over the countryside

In what contexts can traipse take the place of wander?

The synonyms traipse and wander are sometimes interchangeable, but traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

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 wander
Verb
Eli McCann, 41, (@eliwmccann) posted a clip on TikTok, recounting a moment from several years ago when his then 5-year-old niece was exploring his house and wandered into his bedroom. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025 The 300-second exposure shows the wandering solar system body as a minute dot, barely distinguishable among the stellar giants populating the distant starfield beyond. Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
When machines provide automation, human attention wanders and capabilities decay. David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025 There are other doors, and through one of these our hero wanders. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wander
Verb
  • Some of the most notable included the iconic bell tower, the central fountain, the roaming pack of feral cats, and the massive gingko trees that loomed over a section of the academic quad and carpeted the sidewalks with golden leaves each fall.
    Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025
  • In its world, resurrected mammoths roam, AI governs underground facilities, and human-animal hybrids embody both triumph and ambiguity.
    Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The driver refuses to get out and argues that police are trespassing on private property.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
  • An investigation revealed the suspect had trespassed and peered into a home through a glass door.
    Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile in New York, Lindsay Lohan and her husband, Bader Shammas, attend the US Open while Lola Tung takes a leisurely afternoon stroll.
    Brendan Le, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • To stay within a fork’s reach, The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza is a 15-minute stroll from RyuGin, which earned three stars for its molecular kaiseki (a traditional multicourse meal) gastronomy.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • After an earnings beat and a blistering 32% pop on July 30, the stock drifted lower for a month — a normal profit-taking after a vertical move.
    Nishant Pant, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
  • This means that if Solar Cycle 25 were stronger or weaker than predicted, the peak month of solar maximum would drift from this August-September 2025 prediction.
    Ryan French, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • National Weather Service meteorologists consider forecasting waterspouts during the late summer and fall whenever large, cool air masses overspread the waters of the Great Lakes.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The Department of Buildings told CBS News New York and News 12 Long Island that a 10-by-10-inch section of the ceiling collapsed due to possible water damage, and pieces of the building fell on customers dining inside.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On its opening day, multiple patients from UHI made the short walk across Fisherman Street to the big blue bus to wait for their names to be called.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • But these are also comfortable enough to wear on many outdoor adventures, including hikes and walks.
    Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Similarly, one TikTok filmed in a Walmart location shows stray unaltered tags with prices conflicting with higher on-rack pricing signs.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
  • In rebooting Troma Entertainment’s cult favorite icon, the filmmaker didn’t want to stray too far from the source material — at least in terms of overall tone.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wander. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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