wander

To wander is to walk around or do something without any direction or purpose.

• The high school kids had nothing to do, so they just wandered around the shopping mall all day.
• Todd wandered into the forest and got lost.
• A three-year-old boy was found wandering around in the street by himself. (The word "wandering" is a gerund in this sentence.)
• The people in the car wandered into a construction zone. They were told to leave.
• The police found a strange man wandering around in our neighborhood, so they asked him some questions.
• Don’t let your kids wander away. Keep your eyes on them.

A person who wanders is called a "wanderer."

Note: There’s a difference beween "wander" and "wonder."

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This page was first published on September 28, 2013. It was updated on May 5, 2016.