wander

[ won-der ]

/ ˈwɒn dər /

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See synonyms for: wander / wandering / wanderer on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray: to wander over the earth.

to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander: The river wanders among the rocks.

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

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

(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.

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

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

to think or speak confusedly or incoherently.

(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)

to travel about, on, or through: He wandered the streets.

noun

Mechanics. the drift of a gyroscope or a similar device.

OTHER WORDS FOR wander

1 range, stroll.

2 saunter.

6 swerve, veer.

8 ramble, rave.

See synonyms for wander on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of wander

before 900; Middle English wandren,Old English wandrian (cognate with German wandern), frequentative of wendan to wend; see -er⁶

OTHER WORDS FROM wander

wan·der·er, nounoutwander, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wander in a sentence

They initially saw no traffic at all as they came to Canfield Drive, and they wandered into the middle of the street.
90 Seconds of Fury in Ferguson Are the Key to Making Peace in America|Michael Daly|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The words that changed everything came after his wife had wandered off to photograph a collapsed building.
How Amelia's Plane Was Found|Michael Daly|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They had wandered up and down, unable to deliver themselves of their parcel.
Did Picasso Try to Steal the Mona Lisa?|Nick Mafi|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I wandered around aimlessly for a while, then gave the goose to an acquiescent hippy on a barge.
The Life and Art of Radical Provocateur—and Commune Leader—Otto Muehl|Anthony Haden-Guest|September 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He wandered into Fountain City, a suburb of Knoxville, where he fended for himself.
Football Great Bob Suffridge Wanders Through the End Zone of Life|Paul Hemphill|September 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
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)

(also tr) to move or travel about, in, or through (a place) without any definite purpose or destination

to proceed in an irregular course; meander

to go astray, as from a path or course

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

to think or speak incoherently or illogically

noun

the act or an instance of wandering

Derived forms of wander

wanderer, nounwandering, adjective, nounwanderingly, adverb

Word Origin for wander

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

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

wander

OTHER WORDS FOR wander

Origin of wander

OTHER WORDS FROM wander

Words related to wander

How to use wander in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wander

Derived forms of wander

Word Origin for wander