# roam

/ˈɹoʊm/ (US) · /ɹˈəʊm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/roam
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to wander freely

verb · CEFR B2

to walk or travel around an area without a specific goal or direction.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. mobile network usage

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to use your mobile phone on a different network, usually when you are in another country.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: The verb is intransitive in this context.

### 3. a wander

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a walk or trip without a specific destination.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The sheep roam freely across the green hills.
- During the summer holidays, the children were allowed to roam through the woods until sunset.
- In the digital age, users can roam across different networks and platforms, yet this freedom of movement often leaves a trail of data that is meticulously tracked by advertisers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.