wander

[ won-der ]

/ ˈwɒn dər /

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.

Nearby words

Origin of wander

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

SYNONYMS FOR wander

1. range, stroll. 2. saunter. 6. swerve, veer. 8. ramble, rave.

Related formswan·der·er, nounout·wan·der, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for wandered

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
I wandered on, heavy sniping hissing over my head or into the parapet, covering me with clay occasionally.
Letters of Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie|George Brenton Laurie
First she wandered all over the point, making it look afterwards as if a herd had passed.
Wilderness Ways|William J Long
It seemed to me, then, that she had got lost in the woods, and had wandered thus over some trail to the path where she had met me.
The American Baron|James De Mille
She paid the debt promptly from a flexible gold mesh bag on the table; then stooped and wandered among his books.
The Three Black Pennys|Joseph Hergesheimer
The reporter walked out of the office and wandered up to Bellevue Hospital.
Toaster's Handbook|Peggy Edmund and Harold W. Williams, compilers

British Dictionary definitions for wandered

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 Formswanderer, 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

Word Origin and History for wandered

wander

Old English wandrian "move about aimlessly, wander," from West Germanic *wandrojan (cf. Old Frisian wondria, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch wanderen, German wandern "to wander," a variant form of the root represented in Old High German wantalon "to walk, wander"), from root *wend- "to turn" (see wind (v.)). In reference to the mind, affections, etc., attested from c.1400. Related: Wandered; wandering. The Wandering Jew of Christian legend first mentioned 13c. (cf. French le juif errant, German der ewige Jude).

wander

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of wander

Examples from the Web for wandered

wander

verb (mainly intr)

noun

Word Origin for wander

wander