Word
roam
US/ˈɹoʊm/
UK/ɹˈəʊm/
Definitions
01to wander freely
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to walk or travel around an area without a specific goal or direction.
v. to wander or travel over a wide area without a fixed itinerary or destination. Often used intransitively or with a direct object.
“The sheep were allowed to roam freely across the hills all summer.”
“During the sabbatical, he spent months roaming the small villages of southern Europe, guided only by his curiosity and the local weather.”
02mobile network usage
B2 · Upper Intermediate Computing Technical
v. to use your mobile phone on a different network, usually when you are in another country.
v. to connect to a foreign or secondary network when outside the coverage area of one's home service provider.
“Check your phone plan to see if you can roam for free in Europe.”
“Subscribers are often surprised by high data charges when their devices automatically roam onto local networks while abroad.”
03a wander
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary
n. a walk or trip without a specific destination.
n. an instance of wandering or travelling without a fixed goal.
“After lunch, we went for a long roam through the woods.”
“His daily roam through the ancient library provided the quiet contemplation he needed for his research.”
Usage
The verb can be used both transitively ('roam the streets') and intransitively ('roam through the streets').
Real-World Examples
“For half of the year, including winter, they are free to roam the island and its village.” “She’d roam London forming sentences in her head, then simply write them down, at speed.” Etymology
From Middle English romen, from Old English rāmian, from Proto-Germanic raimōną (“to wander”), from raim- (“to move, raise”), from *h₃reyH- (“to move, lift, flow”). Akin to Old English ārǣman (“to arise, stand up, lift up”), Old High German rāmēn (“to aim”) ( > archaic German rahmen (“to strive”)), Middle Dutch rammen (“to night-wander, to copulate”), rammelen (“to wander about, ramble”). More at ramble.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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