as in nomad
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination
a wanderer who reasoned that he could never be lost, as he didn't care where he was going
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 wanderer
On stage, Josh and Melissa, our wanderers from the land of reality, are subsumed into an actual musical rather than a vaguely Truman Show-style refraction.
—
Greg Evans, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
Voice like a warm porchlight left on for wanderers who kissed goodbye too soon or stayed too long.
—Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
Unlike most comets, which originate in the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud, this icy wanderer formed around another star before drifting into our cosmic neighborhood.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Spader plays Graham, an enigmatic wanderer who inserts himself into the lives of his old friend John (Peter Gallagher), his wife Ann (Andie MacDowell) and her sister Cynthia (San Giacomo), drawing out all manner of confessions and revelations.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
There’s a cast of wanderers, visionaries, and itinerants, the self-educated and self-published, a long lineage of cranks and outcasts, mostly penurious, always opinionated, stretching away into the mists of pseudohistory.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
This Victorian town of just over 2,000 is a diverse blend of artists, spiritual seekers, motorcyclists, weekend wanderers, and retirees.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
Voice like a warm porchlight left on for wanderers who kissed goodbye too soon or stayed too long.
—Alex Abramovich, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The Gage Hotel Just north of the park in Marathon, find the Gage Hotel, which has been hosting weary wanderers since 1927.
—Carrie Dennis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Dec. 2025
Greg Evans, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
Voice like a warm porchlight left on for wanderers who kissed goodbye too soon or stayed too long.
—Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
Unlike most comets, which originate in the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud, this icy wanderer formed around another star before drifting into our cosmic neighborhood.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Spader plays Graham, an enigmatic wanderer who inserts himself into the lives of his old friend John (Peter Gallagher), his wife Ann (Andie MacDowell) and her sister Cynthia (San Giacomo), drawing out all manner of confessions and revelations.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
There’s a cast of wanderers, visionaries, and itinerants, the self-educated and self-published, a long lineage of cranks and outcasts, mostly penurious, always opinionated, stretching away into the mists of pseudohistory.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
This Victorian town of just over 2,000 is a diverse blend of artists, spiritual seekers, motorcyclists, weekend wanderers, and retirees.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
Voice like a warm porchlight left on for wanderers who kissed goodbye too soon or stayed too long.
—Alex Abramovich, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The Gage Hotel Just north of the park in Marathon, find the Gage Hotel, which has been hosting weary wanderers since 1927.
—Carrie Dennis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanderer
Noun
-
Under the Zagros Mountains outside Shiraz, a family of Iranian nomads and their reticent sons investigate the disappearance of twelve sheep while navigating their flock through the modern city of poets in this dreamy documentary.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The rooms Eschewing the predictable Greek island white-on-white aesthetic, the look is more global nomad than Cycladic purist.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some travelers have even tucked it under the headrest of the seat in front of them (with the passenger’s permission).—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Supporters argue the change would simplify travel and reduce confusion for passengers, as baggage policies vary widely between airlines, with some travelers welcoming the idea of standardized rules.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The thugs would insinuate themselves into the confidence of wayfarers and, when a favorable opportunity presented itself, strangle them by throwing a handkerchief or noose around their necks.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Add in accessories like a matching leather clutch, boots, and wayfarer sunglasses to be styled to perfection.—
Ariel Bielsky,
InStyle,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Detectives learned Lugo was the leader of a group made up of drifters and petty thieves who hung out at the Sun Gym.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The men and women under his employ were a rag-tag gang of dreamers and drifters, brought together by a love for adventure, a disdain for the society that had thrown their friends away in Vietnam, and a desire to spread the gospel of ganja.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Animals that are kennel-trained will likely be pleased to be in their cozy confines and away from the bustle of vacuums, mops, and the like, but for those who are roamers, consider gating off an area for them.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wanderer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanderer. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
