Word
wander
Phoneticswan·der, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwɑndɝ/
UK/wˈɒndɐ/
Definitions
01to walk aimlessly
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.
日本語:歩き回る※
“We spent the afternoon wandering through the narrow streets of the old town.”
“After the meeting adjourned, he spent an hour wandering aimlessly through the botanical gardens to clear his head before the long drive home.”
Usage
Often followed by prepositions like 'around', 'through', or 'off'.
Pitfall
I was wondering around the park.
I was wandering around the park.
Do not confuse 'wander' (to walk) with 'wonder' (to think or ask yourself).
02to lose focus
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.
日本語:それる※
“I tried to listen to the lecture, but my mind began to wander.”
“The professor noticed the students' attention begin to wander as the technical explanation stretched into its second hour without a break.”
Antonyms
03to follow a winding path
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.
“The small river wanders through the valley before reaching the sea.”
“The hiking trail wanders gently along the ridge, offering panoramic views of the valley floor below.”
04to be unfaithful
C2 · Proficiency Literary
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'.
“He promised his wife that he would never wander again.”
“The novel explores the consequences of a husband who begins to wander after ten years of a seemingly stable marriage.”
Teaching tip
This sense is often used euphemistically; 'stray' is a common modern synonym for this specific context.
05a short walk
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English
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'.
“I'm going for a quick wander around the shops while I wait for you.”
“After dinner, they took a leisurely wander along the promenade to enjoy the cool evening air.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “wander” in context.
Verb
01. let your mind wander
“If you let your mind wander during the lecture, you might miss important details.”
verb + noun + verb
02. wander aimlessly
“After losing his map, he wandered aimlessly through the forest for hours.”
verb + adv
03. wander off the path
“The guide warned the hikers not to wander off the marked path.”
verb + prep + noun
04. wander through the streets
“We spent the afternoon wandering through the narrow streets of the old town.”
verb + prep + noun
Adverb
05. freely wander about the grounds
“Peacocks are allowed to freely wander about the palace grounds.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
06. slowly wander around the gallery
“The visitors slowly wandered around the gallery, admiring the modern art.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“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.” Etymology
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.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- 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 IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/wander
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0