wander 1 of 2

verb

ˈwän-dər How to pronounce wander (audio)
Definition of wandernext
1
as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly we just went outside and wandered around until it was time to go

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to trespass
to commit an offense we have all wandered from the path of righteousness at least once in our lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wander

2 of 2

noun

as in stroll
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure a wander through the woods

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb wander contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wander are meander, ramble, roam, rove, and traipse. While all these words mean "to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose," wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course.

fond of wandering about the square just watching the people

When might meander be a better fit than wander?

The words meander and wander are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.

the river meanders for miles through rich farmland

When is ramble a more appropriate choice than wander?

The meanings of ramble and wander largely overlap; however, ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.

the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point

When would roam be a good substitute for wander?

The words roam and wander can be used in similar contexts, but roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.

liked to roam through the woods

When can rove be used instead of wander?

While in some cases nearly identical to wander, rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.

armed brigands roved over the countryside

In what contexts can traipse take the place of wander?

The synonyms traipse and wander are sometimes interchangeable, but traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wander
Verb
Two months ago, he was discovered wandering the San Francisco streets, blocks away from his typical habitat and suffering from severe malnutrition. — Liz Gray, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Spend an afternoon wandering through each of its horticultural wonders, from the impressive Great Lawn to the ornate Sunken Garden. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Noun
Skubal was last seen yelling profanities at magic wander Mike Vasil but would nevertheless fit in well in the Sox clubhouse and give Sox fans reason to believe this team can do something in October. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 Gardone Riviera itself is worth a wander, with the eccentric Vittoriale degli Italiani, the former estate of the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, a short walk from the hotel. — Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wander
  1. roam
  2. trespass
  3. stroll
  4. drift
  5. fall
  6. walk
  7. stray
Verb
  • Visitors can hike trails and drive a scenic route through the colorful, rugged Badlands where bison and wild horses roam.
    — Jack Dura, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • The age of sail, when pirates like Johnny Depp’s fictional Jack Sparrow roamed the seven seas, ended about 200 years ago.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of roam
Verb
  • How the climbing couple got past security Prosecutors told the judge on July 2 that the defendants had trespassed overnight in the building before making the climb.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Instead of Cady as rapist, Cape Fear seems to be going for a general theme of Cady as violator, someone who is trespassing not singularly on a female body but on the Bowdens’ trustworthiness.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Definition of trespass
Noun
  • While Swift has not publicly confirmed the relationship, the two were seen together on several occasions after being photographed for the first time together while taking a stroll through Central Park in New York City.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Anne Hathaway shows off her baby bump on a stroll in New York City on June 29.
    — Brendan Le Updated, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of stroll
Verb
  • Yamal was a thorn in Saudi Arabia’s side, drifting infield to unleash shots from distance but also peppering the penalty area with wicked deliveries from the right flank.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • When those models drift or their assumptions fail, errors can scale rapidly.
    — Akhilesh Sharma, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of drift
Verb
  • The woman fell about 1,500 vertical feet, from around 12,000 feet to about 11,500 feet.
    — Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • The report will also provide insight into whether American workers’ paychecks are falling further behind inflation.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • The Mariners batted around in the sixth, with their first five hitters reaching base on four hits and one walk.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • The four-time MVP has 82 strikeouts and 24 walks in 79 2/3 innings this season.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of walk
Verb
  • Close to half of Americans believe the country has strayed significantly from the nation's founding principles.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 1 July 2026
  • Finally, the report argues that Yale has strayed from its focus on rigor and academic excellence.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
Definition of stray

Browse Nearby Words

wan
wander
wandered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wander. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wander

Nglish: Translation of wander for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All