WANDERED Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

wandered

verb

past tense of wander

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

Relevance

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 Bears have wandered into people's homes across the United States in record numbers after a dry winter wiped out plants, grasses, berries and nuts that form around 90% of their diet, Reuters reported. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026 Emde wandered ahead while King lagged behind at her usual tempo, which is uncommonly slow but projects incongruous urgency. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 Dearborn police said the woman had wandered away from her home on Hartwell Street, where officers initially responded. — Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026 And in 2021, a 2-year-old named Zaydek wandered onto the pitch at the FC Cincinnati match before his mom Morgan Tucker could corral him. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026 Sant Ambroeus Aspen A bear recently wandered into a restaurant in Aspen, while another was spotted on Colorado State University's campus during move-in week. — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 Oman is not some distant neutral country that wandered into an American dispute. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2026 Reluctantly, somewhat sheepishly, Van Lith wandered along the edge of the corn patch that August. — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026 The 48-year-old star kept Ella and Emmie’s faces mostly obscured, showing off brief glimpses as her daughters sat next to her on a bench in a town square, wandered through a vivid green maze, and snapped photos with a camera. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 19 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wandered

Verb

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
The singer roamed the space, which created an eternity out of glass, and captured the experience on camera.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of roamed

Verb

Rincker, a German immigrant, was known for casting the bell that hung from the first Cook County Courthouse, which was felled by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Frightened that she may be plagued by the same mental illness that felled her mom, Gemma stubbornly refuses to believe anything is wrong.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of fell

Verb

Lizzie and O’Neil also drifted apart as the actress continued touring with her theater company.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of drifted

Verb

Since then, no one has been cited, trespassed or arrested for bringing weapons into the park, city and police officials told the Orlando Sentinel.

— Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 July 2026
How the climbing couple got past security Prosecutors told the judge on July 2 that the defendants had trespassed overnight in the building before making the climb.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of trespassed

Verb

The couple strolled through Hampstead with their two dogs in tow.

— Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
Just last week, Minnesota strolled into San Francisco, delivered a clinical beatdown and strutted off the floor like brash royalty, reminding the peasants of their place.

— Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of strolled

Verb

There is now a new column in Ukrainian politics that is young, has experience of power and reform, and seeks to constantly remind Ukraine that its president has strayed outside of his original electoral mandate.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Shoes are way too clunky and be-socked feet on a bus are just asking to encounter a plug that’s strayed from a bunk while going round a corner.

— Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of strayed

Browse Nearby Words

wander

wandered

wandered (into)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of wandered

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes