wander

[ won-der ]

verb (used without object)

1. to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray:

   to wander over the earth.

   Synonyms: stroll, range

2. to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander:

   The river wanders among the rocks.

   Synonyms: saunter

3. to extend in an irregular course or direction:

   Foothills wandered off to the south.

4. to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.
5. (of the mind, thoughts, desires, etc.) to take one direction or another without conscious intent or control:

   His attention wandered as the speaker droned on.

6. to stray from a path, place, companions, etc.:

   During the storm the ship wandered from its course.

   Synonyms: veer, swerve

7. to deviate in conduct, belief, etc.; err; go astray:

   Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.

8. to think or speak confusedly or incoherently.

   Synonyms: rave, ramble

9. (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)

1. to travel about, on, or through:

   He wandered the streets.

noun

1. Mechanics. the drift of a gyroscope or a similar device.

wander

/ ˈwɒndə /

verb

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

noun

1. the act or an instance of wandering

Derived Forms

• ˈwandering, adjectivenoun
• ˈwanderer, noun
• ˈwanderingly, adverb

Other Words From

• wander·er noun
• outwander verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of wander¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English wandren, Old English wandrian “to wend repeatedly” (cognate with German wandern ), from wendan; wend

Word History and Origins

Origin of wander¹

Old English wandrian; related to Old Frisian wandria, Middle Dutch, Middle High German wanderen

Example Sentences

With those Uber execs at the helm, the campaign began to wander instead toward more abstract pledges of freedom and anti-tyranny.

From Slate

“She does not like bugs in bushes. On her own, that is not a place she would wander up to. I have stated before that my daughter was murdered.”

From Los Angeles Times

Well, there’s a different issue for houseplant parents who must wander their indoor jungles with watering cans, misters, fertilizers and pruners and then find a place to store them.

From Los Angeles Times

Channel your energy into what you’re doing in the moment, rather than letting your mind wander to stressful subjects.

From Los Angeles Times

Stage 2 involves creating a tunnel over Agoura Road to the south to create a gradual slope that will allow animals to wander off the crossing into the Santa Monica Mountains.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• amble
• cruise
• drift
• float
• hike
• meander
• ramble
• roam
• saunter
• straggle
• stray
• stroll
• traipse
• trek