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

Other Word Forms

• wandering adjective
• wanderer noun
• wanderingly adverb
• outwander 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

Using her charm offensive, Hedda goads naive spouses to cheat, recovering alcoholics to drink and depressives to wander off into the darkness with a revolver.

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Rock said it will be at least another year before the crossing will be connected to the Santa Susana Mountains to the north and Santa Monica Mountains to the south and opened to wandering wildlife.

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She wanders through Pasadena Playhouse, where her show opened Sunday, like a “Star Wars” extra who got off at the wrong galaxy.

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Despite their differing diagnoses, both of her loved ones share a common symptom: They are prone to wander away from home, and have cognitive impairments that make it hard to find their way back.

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The puppet world is in the midst of a crisis, torn over whether humans should be allowed to wander the fictional street of Appleseed Avenue.

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Related Words

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