wander

[ won-der ]
See synonyms for wander on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object)
  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.

  1. to extend in an irregular course or direction: Foothills wandered off to the south.

  2. to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.

  3. (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.

  4. to stray from a path, place, companions, etc.: During the storm the ship wandered from its course.

  5. to deviate in conduct, belief, etc.; err; go astray: Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.

  6. to think or speak confusedly or incoherently.

  7. (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.

Origin of wander

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English wandren, Old English wandrian “to wend repeatedly” (cognate with German wandern ), from wendan; see wend

Other words for wander

Other words from wander

  • wan·der·er, noun
  • outwander, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use wander in a sentence

  • Absently his hands wandered through the pockets, and found his purse and the money in an outside pocket.

    The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux
  • Her glance wandered from his face away toward the Gulf, whose sonorous murmur reached her like a loving but imperative entreaty.

  • He gave little heed to the play; his thoughts were elsewhere, and, while they rambled, his eyes wandered round the house.

    Confidence | Henry James
  • And then, her mind wandered away to her mother; and she wondered why she should stand between her and her marriage with Gilbert.

    The World Before Them | Susanna Moodie
  • On hearing him her eyes wandered toward where he stood, and regarded him keenly for a moment.

    The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux

British Dictionary definitions for wander

wander

/ (ˈwɒndə) /


verb(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

  1. to go astray, as from a path or course

  2. (of the mind, thoughts, etc) to lose concentration or direction

  3. to think or speak incoherently or illogically

noun
  1. the act or an instance of wandering

Origin of wander

1
Old English wandrian; related to Old Frisian wandria, Middle Dutch, Middle High German wanderen

Derived forms of wander

  • wanderer, noun
  • wandering, adjective, noun
  • wanderingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012