wander
Americanverb (used without object)
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to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray.
to wander over the earth.
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to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander.
The river wanders among the rocks.
- Synonyms:
- saunter
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to extend in an irregular course or direction.
Foothills wandered off to the south.
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to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.
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(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.
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to stray from a path, place, companions, etc..
During the storm the ship wandered from its course.
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to deviate in conduct, belief, etc.; err; go astray.
Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.
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to think or speak confusedly or incoherently.
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(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)
noun
verb
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(also tr) to move or travel about, in, or through (a place) without any definite purpose or destination
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to proceed in an irregular course; meander
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to go astray, as from a path or course
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(of the mind, thoughts, etc) to lose concentration or direction
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to think or speak incoherently or illogically
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have wanderedperfect
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has wanderedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been wanderingperfect progressive
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am wanderingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been wanderingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is wanderingprogressive 3rd person singular
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wanderssingular 3rd person
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are wanderingprogressive
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wanderingparticiple
Past
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had wanderedperfect
-
were wanderingprogressive plural
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had been wanderingperfect progressive
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was wanderingprogressive singular
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wanderedsimple
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wanderedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of wander
First recorded before 900; Middle English wandren, Old English wandrian “to wend repeatedly” (cognate with German wandern ), from wendan; see wend
Explanation
The verb wander describes something that has lost track. If you're watching a boring movie, your mind might begin to wander. If you don't have a clear goal, you could wander too — meaning you drift aimlessly. When you wander mentally, your thoughts get lost. And when you wander physically, you don't have a destination, so it's also possible to lose your bearings and not know where you are — or how to get back. That's why wander is also used to describe someone who drifts from place to place or job to job without a sense of direction or purpose.
Vocabulary lists containing wander
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Beowulf vocabulary
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"The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When errant, injured, or wildfire-hurt bears or mountain lions wander into Tahoe communities, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife rescues the animals and determines if they can be released back into the wild.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
As we watched the group wander about, a female capybara waded into a mud puddle along the truck path and rolled around happily.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
"As a visitor, you can immerse yourself in a jungle, 30 degrees and 80% humidity, and wander round the park here, seeing butterflies from all over the world."
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Their bodies were imprisoned; their minds were free to wander.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Towards midnight she began to wander in her speech; and after that it gradually set in that she said innumerable times in a low solemn voice, “What have I done!”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
