verb
wander
WON-duh
verb
1
To move around without a fixed destination or purpose.
"They spent the afternoon wandering through the old town."
"The dog wandered off while we were unpacking the car."
2
Of the mind or attention, to drift and lose focus.
"His mind wandered during the long lecture."
noun
1
A leisurely, aimless walk.
"Let's go for a wander around the market."
How to Use Wander
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo walk or drift around with no particular destination, or for your attention to drift.
Common pairings
wander off
wander around
mind wanders
go for a wander
Word Forms
wandered past tense, wanders plural, Wanders plural, wanders singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “wander”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
They spent the afternoon _____ through the old town.
Etymology
From Old English wandrian, "to roam or stray," built on a Germanic root meaning "to turn" — the same idea behind German wandern and Dutch wandelen.