saunter
Americanverb
noun
-
a leisurely pace or stroll
-
a leisurely old-time dance
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sauntersimple
-
saunterssimple
-
have saunteredperfect
-
has saunteredperfect
-
am saunteringprogressive
-
are saunteringprogressive
-
is saunteringprogressive
-
have been saunteringperfect progressive
-
has been saunteringperfect progressive
Past
-
saunteredsimple
-
had saunteredperfect
-
was saunteringprogressive
-
were saunteringprogressive
-
had been saunteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of saunter
First recorded in 1660–70; of uncertain origin
Explanation
To saunter is to stroll at a leisurely pace. The next time someone accuses you of dragging your feet and asks you to speed it up, calmly tell them that you’re perfecting your saunter. A verb of unconfirmed origin, saunter means to “walk with a leisurely gait.” As a noun, saunter describes that leisurely gait. Henry David Thoreau once said “it is a great art to saunter.” So while crossing a busy street may not be the best time to test out your sauntering abilities, feel free to practice when you're not in a hurry.
Vocabulary lists containing saunter
Touching Spirit Bear
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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"The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving
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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.
See Examples For:
Kicking off their global tour in the South Korean city of Incheon, the five members of K-pop boy band Cortis saunter onto stage in casual, streetwear-inspired outfits, exuding an effortlessly cool vibe.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
In the morning—before my aching knee and bulging blisters relegated my saunter to a limp—a 32-mile walk around Manhattan sounded like a good way to spend the first Saturday in May.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
I’ve felt my heart stop, swearing I caught a glimpse of my long-dead cat saunter by, out of the corner of my eye.
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2025
Chris Smith didn’t just saunter into his position as director of equipment operations for the Chargers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2024
I couldn’t just saunter up to the door of these refined Philadelphians and ask to have tea with the Maple Tree.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Depp saunters away from the tree, in the direction of another.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2022
Hovering above Westlake Park, a giant silver figure saunters in place, her hips and belly swelling and contracting as ribbons of red and black swirl up and down her body.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 3, 2022
That much is clear as soon as he saunters up to the door of the house where his estranged wife, Lexi, lives with her mother, Lil, and their dog, Sophie.
From New York Times ● Dec. 9, 2021
One in a Larry Johnson jersey saunters in front of the vehicle, causing a delay of several precious seconds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2021
I’ve seen Jayce do it; he just saunters out with everyone else and ignores the teacher calling his name.
From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon
Days before plundering Borel’s wine cellar, the two are believed to have sauntered into Huso, a Michelin-starred Tribeca restaurant that has been celebrated for its collection of bottles, according to a law-enforcement official.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
The Knicks led by as many as 52 points at one stage in the fourth quarter as they sauntered to victory thanks to a blistering 26-point cameo off the bench from Jose Alvarado.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
He surprised not just the audience, but also fellow “Grease” alumni as he sauntered on stage in his character’s signature pompadour and leather jacket.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2025
Dressed in a striking pink and green sari, she sauntered through the bassy grooves of recent singles Pass The Salt and Carmen, coming across like a latter-day Amy Winehouse.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2025
He got a few books out of his locker, slammed it shut, and sauntered over to us.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
They played surveillance footage they said showed Robinson sauntering through campus, buying and eating Chick-Fil-A and even interacting with representatives from Kirk's Turning Point USA organisation.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Sure, no one is stopping anyone from sauntering into their local grocery store dressed to the nines in faux fur and pumps.
From Salon ● Nov. 9, 2025
The show began with Beyoncé astride a white horse sauntering down a hallway in NRG’s bowels as she sang “16 Carriages,” her ballad about a youth spent on the road chasing showbiz dreams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 25, 2024
She let out a grunt and charged, running right up to Bruiser, who was sauntering by.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 7, 2023
“Lighten up, Stella,” I say, sauntering to the door.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
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.
