wander
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to walk around slowly without a specific reason or destination.
v.to move about without a fixed course or goal. Intransitive, though occasionally used with a direct object in literary contexts.
Simple“We spent the afternoon wandering through the narrow streets of the old town.”
In context“After the meeting adjourned, he spent an hour wandering aimlessly through the botanical gardens to clear his head before the long drive home.”
UsageOften followed by prepositions like 'around', 'through', or 'off'.
PitfallI was wondering around the park. I was wandering around the park.Do not confuse 'wander' (to walk) with 'wonder' (to think or ask yourself).
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.when your thoughts or attention move away from what you are doing.
v.to lose concentration or deviate from a specific subject or task. Used of the mind, thoughts, or eyes.
Simple“I tried to listen to the lecture, but my mind began to wander.”
In context“The professor noticed the students' attention begin to wander as the technical explanation stretched into its second hour without a break.”
Antonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move in a curve or a path that is not straight.
v.to follow a winding or indirect course rather than a straight line.
Simple“The small river wanders through the valley before reaching the sea.”
In context“The hiking trail wanders gently along the ridge, offering panoramic views of the valley floor below.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to have a sexual relationship with someone who is not your husband, wife, or partner.
v.to be sexually unfaithful to a spouse or partner. Often used in the phrase 'a wandering eye'.
Simple“He promised his wife that he would never wander again.”
In context“The novel explores the consequences of a husband who begins to wander after ten years of a seemingly stable marriage.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is often used euphemistically; 'stray' is a common modern synonym for this specific context.
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a short walk that you take without a specific goal.
n.an act or instance of walking aimlessly. Usually used with 'go for a' or 'have a'.
Simple“I'm going for a quick wander around the shops while I wait for you.”
In context“After dinner, they took a leisurely wander along the promenade to enjoy the cool evening air.”
“I wander through it as if I am in a dream.”
“Carlos Baleba may be great, or may wander around like a lost child in Lidl before being loaned to Monaco.”
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.