meander 1 of 2

verb

Definition of meandernext
as in to wander
to move about from place to place aimlessly theatergoers meandering around the lobby waiting for the play to start

Synonyms & Similar Words

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meander

2 of 2

noun

as in tangle

Related Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb meander contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of meander are ramble, roam, rove, traipse, and wander. While all these words mean "to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose," meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering.

the river meanders for miles through rich farmland

When would ramble be a good substitute for meander?

The words ramble and meander can be used in similar contexts, but ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective.

the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point

When might roam be a better fit than meander?

The meanings of roam and meander largely overlap; however, roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield.

liked to roam through the woods

When can rove be used instead of meander?

While in some cases nearly identical to meander, rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming.

armed brigands roved over the countryside

When is traipse a more appropriate choice than meander?

Although the words traipse and meander have much in common, traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful.

traipsed all over town looking for the right dress

When is it sensible to use wander instead of meander?

The synonyms wander and meander are sometimes interchangeable, but wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course.

fond of wandering about the square just watching the people

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 meander
Verb
Xander Bogaerts’ two-run homer in the fourth inning set both starting pitchers on a different course, one that meandered from there toward a 7-5 victory over the Guardians. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026 Kai embarks on meandering reflections reminiscent of Sepp the tuba player. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026 The trail meanders along seasonal creeks that spring alive in winter. — Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 That’s how Drake Maye ended his latest two-minute drill at Patriots training camp Monday, a meandering march that began around midfield and ended with Maye hurrying the offense to the 3-yard line with 10 seconds on the clock. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for meander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meander
  1. wander
  2. tangle
  3. roam
  4. snarl
  5. stroll
  6. web
  7. drift
  8. labyrinth
Verb
  • And, conversely, which (if any) caused folks to wander off hunting for a Pronto Pup instead.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 31 Aug. 2026
  • And naturally your eyes wander where there is the most roster bloat — either at the tight end position (five players) or the offensive line (10).
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of wander
Noun
  • The Bell Jar Tracing the tangle of a new job in New York City and the simultaneous onrush of clinical depression, The Bell Jar brings the interior world of central character Esther Greenwood into stunning relief.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Penske has designed tracks through city blocks, but never through both federal and municipal grounds with a tangle of buildings that include the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the National Archives.
    — Adam Kilgore, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tangle
Verb
  • One aspect of Eloise’s personality that her parents and brother treasure the most is her connection with animals, from family pets to the deer and horses roaming on the ranch.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • For nearly a hundred years, mule deer have roamed across the scenic but fragile ecosystem of Catalina Island in Southern California, ultimately becoming an ecological fixture and tourist attraction for folks who visit from the mainland.
    — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of roam
Noun
  • Arguably the standout set of the entire festival, her set was grimy and dark, featuring songs off her new album, Music, Fashion, Film, for the first time with a permanent snarl.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The wildly popular Instagram page was offline for a hot minute, leaving the general pop pining for videos on the myriad zany happenings in our city, from traffic snarls and celebrity shenanigans to animal encounters and fights outside the club.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of snarl
Verb
  • In 2018, the real-estate agent Glenn Rice was strolling on the beach and noticed the place.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Fairgoers strolling the grounds were also likely to run into House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who won the Republican primary for governor earlier this month and will face Klobuchar in November.
    — Esme Murphy, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of stroll
Noun
  • OpenAI's security and safety practices have been under intense scrutiny after the company disclosed that two of its models escaped their training environment, accessed the open web and breached Hugging Face's systems last month.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The all-black look was completed with custom Miss Z pumps from Louboutin, carrying the arachnid theme down to her feet with a mesh spider-web design and 3D spider adornments.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of web
Verb
  • The vehicle drifted to the right toward the shoulder, struck the woman and continued south on Franklin Boulevard, according to the CHP.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The montage ended bizarrely, with a clip of Clooney drifting into space to die in the film Gravity.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of drift
Noun
  • Frances is a young writer navigating the labyrinth of adulthood and her narration is close and touching, and to this author, entirely enchanting.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Except for the labyrinth of rights negotiations and technical hurdles and user expectations that have prevented, for a time, every other aspect of the YouTube TV experience over the last decade.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of labyrinth

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Cite this Entry

“Meander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meander. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on meander

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about meander

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