definition wandering noun

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wandering noun

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What does the noun wandering mean?

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun wandering . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

wandering has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun wandering ?

How is the noun wandering pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun wandering come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the noun wandering is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for wandering is from before 1300, in Cursor Mundi: a Northumbrian poem of the 14th century .

wandering is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: wander v. , ‑ing suffix 1 .

Nearby entries

• wandclot, n. 1397
• wanded, adj. 1567–
• wandelard, n. 1338
• wander, n. 1843–
• wander, v. Old English–
• wanderable, adj. 1906–
• wander-bird, n. 1924–
• wander-book, n. 1844–
• wandered, adj. c1420–
• wanderer, n. c1440–
• wandering, n. a1300–
• wandering, adj. Old English–
• wandering Jew, n. 1622–
• Wanderjahr, n. 1893–
• wanderlust, n. 1902–
• wanderment, n. 1597–1605
• Wanderobo, n. 1902–
• wanderoo, n. 1681–
• wander-plug, n. 1923–
• wander-soul, n. 1917–
• wander-spirit, n. 1927–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for wandering, n..

wandering, n. was first published in 1921; not yet revised.

wandering, n. was last modified in July 2023.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into wandering, n. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1921)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View wandering, vbl. n. in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for wandering, n., browse entry.

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Wandering Definition

That which wanders .

Travelling with no preset route; roaming .

Irregular turning of the eyes .

• vagabondage

Present participle of wander .

• gallivanting
• perambulating
• promenading

Other Word Forms of Wandering

Origin of wandering.

wander +"Ž -ing

From Wiktionary

Wandering Sentence Examples

I didn't notice how far I was wandering this evening.

It was wandering in circles and looking around.

She didn't say anything about wandering around last night.

Don't be wandering off alone.

He shook his head, his gaze wandering over her face.

Related Articles

Wandering Is Also Mentioned In

• tringa-incana

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Words Starting With

Words ending with, unscrambles, words starting with w and ending with g, word length, words near wandering in the dictionary.

• wandered off
• wandering spleen
• wandering-albatross
• wandering-jew
• wandering-spider
• wandering-star

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[ won -der ]

verb (used without object)

to wander over the earth.

Synonyms: stroll , range

The river wanders among the rocks.

Synonyms: saunter

Foothills wandered off to the south.

• to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.

His attention wandered as the speaker droned on.

During the storm the ship wandered from its course.

Synonyms: veer , swerve

Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.

Synonyms: rave , ramble

• (of a person with a mental disorder or cognitive impairment) to move about or walk in a seemingly aimless or random manner.

verb (used with object)

He wandered the streets.

• Mechanics. the drift of a gyroscope or a similar device.
• also tr to move or travel about, in, or through (a place) without any definite purpose or destination
• to proceed in an irregular course; meander
• to go astray, as from a path or course
• (of the mind, thoughts, etc) to lose concentration or direction
• to think or speak incoherently or illogically
• the act or an instance of wandering

Discover More

Derived forms.

• ˈwandering , adjective noun
• ˈwanderer , noun
• ˈwanderingly , adverb

Other Words From

• wander·er noun
• outwander verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of wander 1

Example Sentences

If there’s no Wander Walk in the neighborhood, your kids can create something similar.

Hear from the founders of innovative brands including WANDER Beauty, Topicals, Ettitude, GEENIE, GEM, Floyd and Goodfair.

As Yellowstone bears increasingly wander outside the sanctuary of the park, they run an ever-greater risk of getting shot.

Some kids are prone to letting their minds wander and daydreaming.

Save for the clip of heels as visitors wander around the gallery, the venue is silent.

Finally, I have to wander slightly off brief with my last two recommendations.

One can even rent out the villa here or wander down from the Arc de Triomphe and peek through the fence.

He allowed his mind to wander back into the past—back many years to the time when he had gone into the country to take a meal.

Of all the inhabitants of London chambers those are the most lonely who never wander away from London.

Sometimes Jehosophat's father opens the gate in the fence and lets the geese wander down to the pond.

Literally and figuratively, their lives seemed to wander through flowery pleasure-paths.

She appeared to wander in her mind, for sometimes her words were coherent, at other times she merely babbled.

Related Words

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of wandering in English

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wander verb ( MOVE AROUND )

• walk The baby has just learned to walk.
• stride She strode purposefully up to the desk and demanded to speak to the manager.
• march He marched right in to the office and demanded to see the governor.
• stroll We strolled along the beach.
• wander She wandered from room to room, not sure of what she was looking for.
• amble She ambled down the street, looking in shop windows.
• crawl There'd been a bad accident on the motorway and traffic was crawling.
• trundle Lorries trundle through the narrow lanes.
• creep He crept downstairs, hardly making any noise.
• trudge They trudged wearily through the snow.
• stroll We spent the afternoon strolling around Budapest.
• amble He ambled over to the window.
• Don't worry if you lose hold of the reins - the horse won't wander off.
• He wandered around, clearing up in a desultory way.
• We wandered along the shore , stepping over the flotsam that had washed up in the night .
• We wandered through the beautifully proportioned rooms of the Winter Palace.
• She was wandering around in a daze this morning .
• His eyes wandered over the posters adorning the walls .
• dumbwalking

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

wander verb ( SUBJECT )

• bury the lede idiom
• candy coating
• candy-coated
• circumlocution
• circumlocutory
• gloss over something
• go off on a tangent idiom
• mealy-mouthed
• prevaricate
• unexpressed

Related word

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Dead ringers and peas in pods (Talking about similarities, Part 2)

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Synonyms of wandering

• as in rambling
• as in nomadic
• as in roaming
• as in trespassing
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Thesaurus Definition of wandering

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• digressionary
• digressional

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straightforward
• undeviating
• peripatetic
• galavanting
• on the move
• gallivanting
• perambulatory

Thesaurus Definition of wandering  (Entry 2 of 2)

• knocking (about)
• gadding (about)
• kicking around
• vagabonding
• milling (about or around)
• trespassing
• transgressing
• breaking the law
• falling from grace
• backsliding

Thesaurus Entries Near wandering

wandering (into)

Cite this Entry

“Wandering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wandering. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on wandering

Nglish: Translation of wandering for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of wandering for Arabic Speakers

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Definition of 'wander'

Video: pronunciation of wander

wander in American English

Wander in british english, examples of 'wander' in a sentence wander, trends of wander.

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• wand reader
• wander aimlessly
• wander alone
• wander an aisle
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Related terms of wander

• eyes wander
• wander plug
• polar wander
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Definition of wander verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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