Meanings
wander1
verbwander (third-person singular simple present wanders, present participle wandering, simple past and past participle wandered)
present singular third person wanders · participle present wandering · participle past wandered · past wandered
- intransitiveTo move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood.
to wander over the fields
3 more examples
They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Hebrews 11:37“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLCThere is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.[…]Stewards, carrying cabin trunks, swarm in the corridors. Passengers wander restlessly about or hurry, with futile energy, from place to place.
1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC - intransitiveTo go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path.
Synonyms: drift
nounwander (countable and uncountable, plural wanders)
plural wanders
- countableAn act or instance of wandering.
to go for a wander in the park
- uncountablesignal or similarDeviation from a correct or normal value.
baseline wander in ECG signals
Wander2
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo commit adultery.
Similar
verbTo go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
verbmove about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
verbbe sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage
verbgo via an indirect route or at no set pace
verbto move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
verblose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-West Germanic*wandarōn“to wander”
- Old Englishwandrian“to wander, roam, fly around, hover; change; stray, err”
- Middle Englishwandren
- Englishwander
From Middle English wandren, from Old English wandrian (“to wander, roam, fly around, hover; change; stray, err”), from Proto-West Germanic *wandarōn (“to wander”), from *wandōn (“to turn, change”) + *-rōn (frequentative suffix). Cognate with Scots wander (“to wander”), German wandern (“to wander, roam, hike, migrate”), Dutch wandelen (“to wander, roam, hike, migrate”), Danish vandre (“to wander, roam, hike, migrate”), Swedish vandra (“to wander, hike”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek περιφοιτάω, πλανάομαι
- περιφοιτάω (periphoitáō)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- πλανάομαι (planáomai)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- ῥέμβομαι (rhémbomai)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- περιέρρω (periérrhō)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Arabic تَجَوَّلَ
- تَجَوَّلَ (tajawwala)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Bulgarian бро́дя, лу́там се
- бро́дя (bródja)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- лу́там се (lútam se)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- ски́там impf ски́там се (skítam)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- блуждая (bluždaja)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- снова (snova)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- шляя се (šljaja se)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- миткам (mitkam)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- отклонявам се (otklonjavam se)to stray; stray from one's course; err
- обърквам пътя (obărkvam pătja)to stray; stray from one's course; err
- изневерявам (izneverjavam)to commit adultery
- бродя (brodja)to go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path
- разсейвам се (razsejvam se)of the mind, to lose focus or clarity of argument or attention
- скитане (skitane)act or instance of wandering
Catalan vagar, deambular
- vagarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- deambularto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Chinese Mandarin 漫步, 徘徊
- 漫步 (mànbù)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- 徘徊 (páihuái)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Czech toulat se, zahnout
- toulat seto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- zahnoutto commit adultery
- toulat seof the mind, to lose focus or clarity of argument or attention
- toulkaact or instance of wandering
Danish strejfe, strejfe
- strejfeto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- strejfeto stray; stray from one's course; err
Dutch zwerven, rondtrekken
- zwervento move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- rondtrekkento move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vreemdgaanto commit adultery
- dolento go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path
- afdwalenof the mind, to lose focus or clarity of argument or attention
Esperanto vagi, vago
- vagito move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vagoact or instance of wandering
Finnish vaeltaa, vaellella
- vaeltaato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vaellellato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- kierrelläto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- harhaillato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- harhautuato stray; stray from one's course; err
- eksyäto stray; stray from one's course; err
- ajautua sivuunto stray; stray from one's course; err
- pettääto commit adultery
- käydä vieraissato commit adultery
- tehdä aviorikosto commit adultery
- olla uskotonto commit adultery
- tehdä huorinto commit adultery
French errer, vaguer
- errerto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vaguerto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- divaguerto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
German umherstreifen, umherstreichen
- umherstreifento move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- umherstreichento move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- herumziehento move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- stromernto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- zigeunernto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- schlendernto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- bummelnto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- wandelnto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- umherschweifento go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path
- abschweifenof the mind, to lose focus or clarity of argument or attention
Greek τριγυρίζω, τριγυρνώ
- τριγυρίζω (trigyrízo)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- τριγυρνώ (trigyrnó)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- τριγύρισμα (trigýrisma)act or instance of wandering
Hebrew שׁוֹטֵט, תָּעָה
- שׁוֹטֵט (shotét)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- תָּעָה (ta'á)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- תָּעָה (ta'á)to stray; stray from one's course; err
Hindi भटकना, घूमना
- भटकना (bhaṭaknā)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- घूमना (ghūmnā)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Hungarian vándorol, kóborol
- vándorolto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- kóborolto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- kószálto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- barangolto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- csatangolto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- bolyongto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- bóklászikto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- elkalandozikto stray; stray from one's course; err
- eltérto stray; stray from one's course; err
- letérto stray; stray from one's course; err
- megcsalto commit adultery
- félrelépto commit adultery
- vándorlásact or instance of wandering
- barangolásact or instance of wandering
- kóborlásact or instance of wandering
- kószálásact or instance of wandering
- csatangolásact or instance of wandering
- bolyongásact or instance of wandering
- bóklászásact or instance of wandering
Italian errare, vagare
- errareto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vagareto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- girovagareto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- passeggiareto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- bighellonareto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vagabondareto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- allontanarsito stray; stray from one's course; err
- svicolareto stray; stray from one's course; err
- perdersito stray; stray from one's course; err
- tradireto commit adultery
- vagareto go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path
- serpeggiareto go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path
- vagabondaggioact or instance of wandering
Japanese ぶらつく, さ迷う
- ぶらつく (buratsuku)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- さ迷う (samayou)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- うろつく (urotsuku)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- 迷う (mayou)to go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path
- 横道にそれる (yokomichi ni soreru)of the mind, to lose focus or clarity of argument or attention
Korean 돌아다니다, 헤매다
- 돌아다니다 (doradanida)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- 헤매다 (hemaeda)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Latin vagor, pālor
- vagorto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- pālorto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- errōto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Lithuanian klajoti, klajonė
- klajotito move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- klajonėact or instance of wandering
- klajojimasact or instance of wandering
Māori kaewa, kāewaewa
- kaewato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- kāewaewato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- whakakaewato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- takiwhenuato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- ānauto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- tīpaoto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- taiāmikito move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- tīhoihoito move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- kaeato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- whakatīhoheto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- kōpikopikoto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- tiwhaoto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Persian پرسه زدن
- پرسه زدن (porse zadan)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Polish włóczyć się, błąkać się
- włóczyć sięto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- błąkać sięto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- tułać sięto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- wędrówkaact or instance of wandering
- tułaczkaact or instance of wandering
Portuguese vagar, perambular
- vagarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- perambularto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vadiarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vagueaçãoact or instance of wandering
- perambulaçãoact or instance of wandering
Romanian umbla, plimba
- umblato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- plimbato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- colindato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- cutreierato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Russian броди́ть, слоня́ться
- броди́ть (brodítʹ)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- слоня́ться (slonjátʹsja)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- блужда́ть (bluždátʹ)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- шата́ться (šatátʹsja)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- шляться (šljatʹsja)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- скита́ться (skitátʹsja)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- блука́ть (blukátʹ)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- плута́ть (plutátʹ)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- стра́нствие (stránstvije)act or instance of wandering
Slovak túlať sa
- túlať sato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Spanish vagar, divagar
- vagarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- divagarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- errarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- deambularto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- yirarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- tunarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- veletearto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- ruarto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- barloventearto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- cancanearto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- melengüelearto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- desviarseto stray; stray from one's course; err
Swedish vanka, vandra
- vankato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- vandrato move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- irrato stray; stray from one's course; err
Tamil அலை, திரி
- அலை (alai)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- திரி (tiri)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Thai ท่องเที่ยว
- ท่องเที่ยว (tɔ̂ng-tîao)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Turkish gezinmek, şaşmak
- gezinmekto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- şaşmakto stray; stray from one's course; err
Ukrainian мандрува́ти, блука́ти
- мандрува́ти (mandruváty)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- блука́ти (blukáty)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- плута́ти (plutáty)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- броди́ти (brodýty)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- ника́ти (nykáty)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- шве́ндяти (švéndjaty)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Urdu گھومنا, پھرنا
- گھومنا (ghūmnā)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- پھرنا (phirnā)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- بھٹَکنا (bhaṭaknā)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Vietnamese lang thang
- lang thangto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Welsh crwydro, crwydr
- crwydroto move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
- crwydract or instance of wandering
Yiddish וואַנדערן
- וואַנדערן (vandern)to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with wander
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
wander. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wander
MLA
“wander.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wander. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wander,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wander.
Source: wander on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.