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

She argued one was not secure enough to prevent her mother from wandering off, while the other was rated "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission.

From BBC

“He misled us to believe that Blaze had wandered off,” Pepper said.

From Los Angeles Times

At the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, in rooms the public aren’t allowed to wander, preparators carefully clean, weigh and catalog each fossil.

From Los Angeles Times

As Jensen used a window screen to sift the safe’s ashen contents for diamonds and stones, his wife Dawn DaMart wandered the blackened foundation searching for tokens of the couple’s life before the Mountain fire.

From Los Angeles Times

But the site rep said, “Don’t go wandering off. I didn’t believe in spirits until I started babysitting this place, and yeah, I hear voices all the time when I’m the only one here.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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