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Definition of wander verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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Definition of 'wander'
wander in American English
Wander in british english, examples of 'wander' in a sentence wander, trends of wander.
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Browse alphabetically wander
- wand reader
- wander aimlessly
- wander alone
- wander an aisle
- All ENGLISH words that begin with 'W'
Related terms of wander
- eyes wander
- wander plug
- polar wander
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[ won -der ]
verb (used without object)
to wander over the earth.
Synonyms: stroll , range
The river wanders among the rocks.
Synonyms: saunter
Foothills wandered off to the south.
- to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.
His attention wandered as the speaker droned on.
During the storm the ship wandered from its course.
Synonyms: veer , swerve
Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.
Synonyms: rave , ramble
- (of a person with a mental disorder or cognitive impairment) to move about or walk in a seemingly aimless or random manner.
verb (used with object)
He wandered the streets.
- Mechanics. the drift of a gyroscope or a similar device.
- also tr to move or travel about, in, or through (a place) without any definite purpose or destination
- to proceed in an irregular course; meander
- to go astray, as from a path or course
- (of the mind, thoughts, etc) to lose concentration or direction
- to think or speak incoherently or illogically
- the act or an instance of wandering
Discover More
Derived forms.
- ˈwandering , adjective noun
- ˈwanderer , noun
- ˈwanderingly , adverb
Other Words From
- wander·er noun
- outwander verb (used with object)
Word History and Origins
Origin of wander 1
Example Sentences
If there’s no Wander Walk in the neighborhood, your kids can create something similar.
Hear from the founders of innovative brands including WANDER Beauty, Topicals, Ettitude, GEENIE, GEM, Floyd and Goodfair.
As Yellowstone bears increasingly wander outside the sanctuary of the park, they run an ever-greater risk of getting shot.
Some kids are prone to letting their minds wander and daydreaming.
Save for the clip of heels as visitors wander around the gallery, the venue is silent.
Finally, I have to wander slightly off brief with my last two recommendations.
One can even rent out the villa here or wander down from the Arc de Triomphe and peek through the fence.
He allowed his mind to wander back into the past—back many years to the time when he had gone into the country to take a meal.
Of all the inhabitants of London chambers those are the most lonely who never wander away from London.
Sometimes Jehosophat's father opens the gate in the fence and lets the geese wander down to the pond.
Literally and figuratively, their lives seemed to wander through flowery pleasure-paths.
She appeared to wander in her mind, for sometimes her words were coherent, at other times she merely babbled.
Related Words
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wan•der•ing
- evagation - Means mental wandering or digression, also a digression in speech or writing.
- mundivagant - Means "wandering around the world."
- vagation - The action of wandering, straying, or departing from the proper or regular course.
- wanderjahr - Literally German for "wander year," it refers to a year of wandering or travel.
wan·der·ing
- bird of passage
- Diomedea exulans
- Wanamaker John
- Wanchüan
- Wand of peace
- Wanda Landowska
- wander about or around
- wander back
- wander plug
- wandering albatross
- Wandering cell
- Wandering Jew
- Wandering kidney
- Wandering liver
- Wandering mouse
- wandering nerve
- Wandering spider
- wanderingly
- Wang An Shi
- Wang Jing Wei
- Wang Jingwei
- wander off from us
- wander off from you
- Wander, Karl Friedrich Wilhelm
- wandered about
- wandered around
- wandered away
- wandered away from
- wandered from
- wandered in
- wandered into
- wandered off
- wandered off from
- Wanderer Butterfly
- Wanderer Class Owners' Association
- Wanderers' Rest Humane Association
- wandering about
- wandering abscess
- wandering albatrosses
- wandering around
- Wandering Around Being Visible
- wandering atrial pacemaker
- wandering away
- wandering away from
- wandering cell
- wandering dune
- wandering erysipelas
- Wandering Eye
- wandering from
- Wandering Gallbladder
- wandering goiter
- Wandering Hand Trouble
- wandering hands
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Synonyms of wandering
- as in rambling
- as in nomadic
- as in roaming
- as in trespassing
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Thesaurus Definition of wandering
(Entry 1 of 2)
Synonyms & Similar Words
- digressionary
- digressional
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- straightforward
- undeviating
- peripatetic
- galavanting
- on the move
- gallivanting
- perambulatory
Thesaurus Definition of wandering (Entry 2 of 2)
- knocking (about)
- gadding (about)
- kicking around
- vagabonding
- milling (about or around)
- trespassing
- transgressing
- breaking the law
- falling from grace
- backsliding
Thesaurus Entries Near wandering
wandering (into)
Cite this Entry
“Wandering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wandering. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
More from Merriam-Webster on wandering
Nglish: Translation of wandering for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of wandering for Arabic Speakers
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Meaning of wandering in English
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wander verb ( MOVE AROUND )
- walk The baby has just learned to walk.
- stride She strode purposefully up to the desk and demanded to speak to the manager.
- march He marched right in to the office and demanded to see the governor.
- stroll We strolled along the beach.
- wander She wandered from room to room, not sure of what she was looking for.
- amble She ambled down the street, looking in shop windows.
- crawl There'd been a bad accident on the motorway and traffic was crawling.
- trundle Lorries trundle through the narrow lanes.
- creep He crept downstairs, hardly making any noise.
- trudge They trudged wearily through the snow.
- stroll We spent the afternoon strolling around Budapest.
- amble He ambled over to the window.
- Don't worry if you lose hold of the reins - the horse won't wander off.
- He wandered around, clearing up in a desultory way.
- We wandered along the shore , stepping over the flotsam that had washed up in the night .
- We wandered through the beautifully proportioned rooms of the Winter Palace.
- She was wandering around in a daze this morning .
- His eyes wandered over the posters adorning the walls .
- dumbwalking
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
wander verb ( SUBJECT )
- bury the lede idiom
- candy coating
- candy-coated
- circumlocution
- circumlocutory
- get on to/onto something
- gloss over something
- go off on a tangent idiom
- prevaricate
- tiptoe around something/someone
- unexpressed
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- wander (MOVE AROUND)
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wander: [verb] to move about without a fixed course, aim, or goal. to go idly about : ramble.
WANDERING definition: 1. present participle of wander 2. to walk around slowly in a relaxed way or without any clear…. Learn more.
Definition Of Wandering. Wandering, in its simplest form, refers to the act of moving about aimlessly or without a fixed destination. It is a term commonly used to describe the action of meandering or roaming without a specific purpose or direction. ... "Wandering through the bustling streets of the city is a great way to discover hidden gems
Visitors are free to wander through the gardens and woods. Cattle and sheep wander freely on the hilltops. During the day I would wander the streets, asking passers-by for a few cents. He was found wandering in the road late one night. She had spent her life wandering from place to place. They spent a couple of hours wandering through the markets.
6 meanings: 1. to move or travel about, in, or through (a place) without any definite purpose or destination 2. to proceed in.... Click for more definitions.
WANDER definition: 1. to walk around slowly in a relaxed way or without any clear purpose or direction: 2. If…. Learn more.
• It seemed Blunset was still wandering through the corridors and Endill looked forward to their next meeting. • Sun-bleached surfers rub elbows at the bar, and stray toddlers wander through the dining rooms. • A wooden fence wanders along the edge of the farm. • When she left in the evening, I wandered through the great empty building.
wander: 1 v move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course "sometimes, the gout wanders through the entire body" Synonyms: meander , thread , weave , wind Types: snake move along a winding path Type of: go , locomote , move , travel change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically v go via an indirect route or at ...
3 [intransitive] (of a person's mind or thoughts) to stop being directed on something and to move without much control to other ideas, subjects, etc. synonym drift It's easy to be distracted and let your attention wander. Try not to let your mind wander. wander away, back, to, etc. something Her thoughts wandered back to her youth. Don't wander off the subject — stay focused.
wandering through. Sample sentences with " wandering through ". Declension Stem. Match words. We go down to the cemetery and see my father and wander through the rest of the graves. Literature. Their wanderings through the crimson twilight had brought them to the neighbourhood of Metre 170 on Rack 9. Literature.
Wandering definition: moving from place to place without a fixed plan; roaming; rambling. See examples of WANDERING used in a sentence.
wander in American English. (ˈwɑndər) intransitive verb. 1. to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray. to wander over the earth. 2. to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander. The river wanders among the rocks.
Wander definition: to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray. See examples of WANDER used in a sentence.
2. Meandered. Similar to "wandered," the word "meandered" implies a leisurely and indirect movement. However, "meandered" specifically emphasizes a winding or curving path. It suggests a gentle and unhurried manner of wandering, often associated with natural settings such as rivers, trails, or scenic landscapes.
WANDER THROUGH - Synonyms, related words and examples | Cambridge English Thesaurus
wandering: [adjective] characterized by aimless, slow, or pointless movement: such as. that winds or meanders. not keeping a rational or sensible course : vagrant. nomadic. having long runners or tendrils.
The word "wandering" is also a verb, but it has a different meaning than "wondering". "Wandering" means to walk or move aimlessly without a specific destination or purpose. Here are some examples of how to use "wandering" in a sentence: ... The old man enjoyed wandering through the museum, admiring the artwork.
wandering: See: circuitous , discursive , incoherence , indirect , itinerant , lost , lunatic , moving , prolix , shifting , truant , unsettled , vagrancy
wandering - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free. ... a period of delightful wandering through Italy. Usually, wanderings. aimless travels; meanderings: Her wanderings took her all over the world. disordered thoughts or utterances;
WANDER meaning: 1. to walk around slowly in a relaxed way or without any clear purpose or direction: 2. If…. Learn more.
Synonyms for WANDERING: rambling, leaping, excursive, indirect, discursive, meandering, maundering, desultory; Antonyms of WANDERING: consistent, logical, coherent ...
WANDERING meaning: 1. present participle of wander 2. to walk around slowly in a relaxed way or without any clear…. Learn more.
wander. vb mainly intr. 1 also tr to move or travel about, in, or through (a place) without any definite purpose or destination. 2 to proceed in an irregular course; meander. 3 to go astray, as from a path or course. 4 (of the mind, thoughts, etc.) to lose concentration or direction. 5 to think or speak incoherently or illogically.