1
as in rambling
passing from one topic to another
your decidedly wandering essay loses its punch—stick to one theme
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nomadic
traveling from place to place
a wandering carnival that visited small towns all over the South
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in roaming
to move about from place to place aimlessly
we just went outside and wandered around until it was time to go
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in trespassing
to commit an offense
we have all wandered from the path of righteousness at least once in our lives
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wandering
Melinda Newman, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026
Keiji is a wandering chicken in Japan seeking revenge against demons for the murder of his sister.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Spend time wandering its stone streets to famous landmarks like the Basilica di San Nicola and the Swabian castle, then swing through Piazza Mercantile or Piazza del Ferrarese to soak up the atmosphere, browse boutiques, or grab a bite—like a slice of focaccia Barese from a nearby panificio.
—Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wandering
Adjective
Their voices caress each other as much as their wandering fingers do as two of country music’s best collaborators each add another blockbuster duet to their repertoire.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026
Keiji is a wandering chicken in Japan seeking revenge against demons for the murder of his sister.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
In the morning session, other members brought up proposals aimed at decreasing the risk of autistic people wandering out of safe areas and risking injury and increasing recognition about the role that co-occurring illnesses play with autistic people.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Spend time wandering its stone streets to famous landmarks like the Basilica di San Nicola and the Swabian castle, then swing through Piazza Mercantile or Piazza del Ferrarese to soak up the atmosphere, browse boutiques, or grab a bite—like a slice of focaccia Barese from a nearby panificio.
—Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wandering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wandering
Adjective
-
Mardi is a rambling story, and reviewers were not kind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The rambling, low-slung building, containing 200 rooms, including 36 suites, is easy to get lost in.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Manifesta, the nomadic European biennial launched in 1996, is losing its founding director, Hedwig Fijen.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
4 May 2026
-
Unlike my nomadic parents, who moved every few years, Channing’s family had settled in this town with a large Korean community and put down roots.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Celebrate by roaming the stacks after dark at this festival.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Fish and wildlife officials advise people to remove bird feeders until the turkeys leave the area and install sprinklers if the wild fowl keep roaming into yards.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hours after his release, North Patrol Deputies responded to a business near Fair Oaks Boulevard and San Lucas Way for a report of the same man trespassing on property.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
3 May 2026
-
While monitoring predators at Python Cave — which is home to Egyptian fruit bats confirmed to be infected with the virus — in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park, scientists recorded hundreds of humans trespassing to visit the area.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dinners take place in traditional nomad tents around the communal fire pit, and range from steaming hot pots with yak meat, mushrooms and tofu to haute-Tibetan tasting menus with wild vegetables in corn foam, tsampa grissini, and lamb shoulder with yak yogurt glaze and salsa verde.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
-
New this season are nomad-style cooking workshops, starlit movies for younger campers, and sunrise hawk walks.—
Katharina Kotrba,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Walking too spread out, stopping short, or drifting without direction creates instant friction.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
-
Arsenal went on a brilliant run in the autumn, winning 10 games in a row while City were drifting.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Bishop Moore junior Lucas Magro went 2-1 in the individual singles bracket and took the top seed, William Freshwater of Barron Collier, to a tiebreaker before falling 1-6, 6-1, (10-3).—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But the Pistons were sloppy with the ball and careless overall in a 94-88 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday night, falling behind 3-1 in their first-round Eastern Conference series.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Spend the next few hours strolling around the Davidson College campus, shopping for a new read at Main Street Books or a charming memento at Honeysuckle Home, and having a leisurely lunch at The Pickled Peach.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
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They were seen hugging at the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico in October 2023, strolling ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas in November 2024 and holding hands at the Grand Prix of Miami in 2025.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wandering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wandering. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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