Word
wanderlust
Phoneticswan·der·lust, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwɑndɝˌɫəst/
UK/wˈɒndəlˌʌst/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a strong wish to travel and see new places. You feel it when staying in one place feels boring and you want an adventure.
n. a strong and persistent desire to travel and explore distant or unfamiliar places.
Examples
“She feels wanderlust every time she sees travel photos.”
“After two years working from home, his wanderlust returns and he starts planning a long train trip.”
“Her wanderlust, sharpened by years of routine office work, drew her toward remote coastlines and night trains rather than familiar resorts.”
Examples
simple
“She feels wanderlust every time she sees travel photos.”
contextual
“After two years working from home, his wanderlust returns and he starts planning a long train trip.”
complex
“Her wanderlust, sharpened by years of routine office work, drew her toward remote coastlines and night trains rather than familiar resorts.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “wanderlust” in context.
Verb
01. fuel wanderlust
“Travel documentaries always fuel my wanderlust for distant places.”
verb + noun
02. indulge wanderlust
“They quit their jobs to indulge their wanderlust in South America.”
verb + noun
03. satisfy wanderlust
“A weekend hiking trip will satisfy your wanderlust for a while.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. insatiable wanderlust
“Despite visiting forty countries, his insatiable wanderlust keeps growing.”
adj + noun
05. intense wanderlust
“After months at home, she felt an intense wanderlust to explore new countries.”
adj + noun
06. lifelong wanderlust
“His lifelong wanderlust began with childhood road trips across the country.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. pang of wanderlust
“Seeing her friends abroad gave her a sudden pang of wanderlust.”
noun + prep + noun
08. a bad case of wanderlust
“She has a bad case of wanderlust and cannot stay in one place.”
09. give in to wanderlust
“He finally gave in to wanderlust and moved to Thailand for a year.”
10. inspire a sense of wanderlust
“The film's desert scenes inspire a strong sense of wanderlust.”
11. satisfy your wanderlust
“Backpacking through Italy is a perfect way to satisfy your wanderlust.”
12. seized by wanderlust
“Seized by wanderlust, they sold their car and travelled the world.”
Etymology
Borrowed from German Wanderlust (“an urge to travel; a love of the ‘great outdoors’”), from wandern (“to wander; to hike”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wendʰ- (“to turn; to wind”)) + Lust (“a desire, a wish to do or have something; fun, pleasure”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European lewH- (“to separate; to set free; to untie”)); analysable as wander + lust.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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