wandered

verb

past tense of wander
1
as in roamed
to move about from place to place aimlessly we just went outside and wandered around until it was time to go

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in fell
to commit an offense we have all wandered from the path of righteousness at least once in our lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wandered Those who wandered alone did not. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 The last gives the bottle with its few inches of water to a small child who has wandered in. — Janine Di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026 At the time, the ranch said the giraffe had likely slipped through an enclosure gate and wandered into surrounding private ranchland. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 After the good Samaritan got him off the woman, witnesses say the man wandered to produce and began attacking a 16-year-old boy, but Garbe had followed him. — Joy Benedict, CBS News, 19 June 2026 Max was murdered in Auschwitz, while Moritz fled to New York and Julius wandered Europe and Canada before landing in Pennsylvania. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 18 June 2026 Harry Kane and Lionel Messi wandered all over the pitch to get on the ball and propel their England and Argentina to success, while also scoring twice and three times respectively. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 18 June 2026 The 1,200-pound giraffe, named Gracie, wandered away from her unfenced habitat at Cedar Hollow Ranch in Leakey, Texas, on June 12. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026 The map released Wednesday — which depicts the watersheds where wolves wandered between May 26 and Tuesday — shows at least one wolf moved through the San Luis Valley and along the New Mexico border. — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wandered
  1. roamed
  2. fell
  3. drifted
  4. trespassed
  5. strolled
  6. strayed
  7. cruised
Verb
  • The age of sail, when pirates like Johnny Depp’s fictional Jack Sparrow roamed the seven seas, ended about 200 years ago.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Earlier this month, dozens of police officers, hunters and city officials were deployed in the city of Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, to catch a bear that roamed the streets for four days, forcing mass school closures.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of roamed
Verb
  • That the forest below has not been felled but has swelled, along with its creatures, is hugely the work of Dharana’s owners, the de Souza family.
    — Horatio Clare, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026
  • The most dangerous situation appeared to be on Barrington Avenue, west of East Dundee Village Hall, where a light, a utility pole and part of a parkway tree were felled by strong winds, leaving power lines dangling across the road.
    — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
Definition of fell
Verb
  • Around the communal tables, conversations paused as traditional Vietnamese court music drifted through the room.
    — Karen Yuan, Vogue, 3 July 2026
  • As well as dropping deep, Cruyff also drifted out wide and provided two assists in the group stage with fine crosses.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of drifted
Verb
  • The mother had also requested that Field be trespassed from the property.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 12 June 2026
  • Emory claimed that day that those arrested were outsiders who trespassed on school property.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of trespassed
Verb
  • Cubans strolled along el Paseo del Prado promenade in the inky night, desperate to escape the stifling heat of their homes.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • More recently, Amal Clooney strolled through the South of France hand-in-hand with husband George in a black micro-mini with shorts peeking out underneath.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 4 July 2026
Definition of strolled
Verb
  • Finally, the report argues that Yale has strayed from its focus on rigor and academic excellence.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
  • She’s strayed only a few times, trying other brands and Brooks styles, but always goes back to this specific style.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Definition of strayed
Verb
  • In his first bout at 170 pounds, Makhachev cruised to a decision win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November 2025, easily wresting the UFC welterweight crown from Della Maddalena.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Zebby Matthews cruised through the first four frames, allowing just one run.
    — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 4 July 2026
Definition of cruised

Browse Nearby Words

wander
wandered
wandered (into)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wandered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wandered. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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