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wandering

wandering

3.9
Moving from place to place rather than living in one place
  • adjective
  • /ˈwɑndərɪŋ/
translation icon : nómada
  • We've always been wandering around nomadically, looking for a place to land.

His ancestor was a wandering arrow man.

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Examples

  • The Irish favored a more wandering existence and the establishment of little communities or colonies far away.

  • Traveling through the mountains, we encountered a group of wandering sheep moving freely across the hills.

  • It's also a landscape that is full of pigs, wandering pigs.

  • And looking back and thinking about it, I think there's all kinds of people wandering the planet.

  • We're all like Kuai Chen Kane wandering around the Old West, you know, looking for our identities and, and for meaning in the world.

  • And this habit of wandering and people watching has inspired all of the game worlds and the characters that he's created, and it helps him to be creative.

  • Many wandering artists travel from city to city, showcasing their work at various street fairs.

  • People enjoy wandering through the park, exploring its many hidden paths and scenic spots.

Synonyms

on the move
vswandering
75 3.9

Often traveling or changing what you do

is about not settling permanently rather than short term activity
nomadic
vswandering
22 4.9

People who move from place to place instead of living in one home

is the general idea of moving without settling, not limited to groups
migrant
vswandering
14 3.7

Moving regularly from place to place, often for seasonal work

is the wider concept of moving without settling, not implying work motive
itinerant
vswandering
8 7.9

Traveling from place to place for work

is general movement without fixing location, not limited to work travel
vagrant
vswandering
2 7.5

Moving often from one place or job to another

describes moving without settling rather than the sense of role changes
roving
vswandering
2 4.1

Moving from place to place without a fixed home

is about moving between places rather than focusing on lack of a fixed home
roaming freely
vswandering
2 3.7

To move around without fences or other limits

focuses on not settling in one place rather than mere lack of restriction
migratory
vswandering
1 5.0

People who move to different places to find work at certain times of the year

is the broad act of moving without settling, not only for survival reasons
peregrine
vswandering
9.6

Moving from place to place to find work or new opportunities

is general moving without settling rather than having a search focus
vagabond
vswandering
7.8

Living from place to place without a fixed home

is the general movement idea and not necessarily a life choice or style
straying
vswandering
5.8

Lost after moving away from the path or home where it should be

means habitual movement between homes rather than accidental getting lost

Antonyms

46 2.9

Not moving and staying in one place

2.7

Living in one place and not moving around

Compounds

wandering albatross
  • Australian
1 7.5

A very large sea bird that has a mostly white body and very long black wings and flies long distances

9.9

A story about a Jewish man who wanders the world as punishment for making fun of Jesus

wandering nerve
  • Specialized
7.7

A nerve that sends signals to the heart, lungs, stomach, and throat

How Nomadic

migratory
16 5.2
nomadic
22 4.9
wandering
3.9
itinerant
8 7.9
transient
11 7.0

Surface Forms

wandering positive

Morphology

wandering = wander (transparent) = wander + ing

Standard participle/gerund formation from 'wander'; the migratory sense ('moving place to place') follows directly from the verb.

Etymology

Wandering comes from the same old verb wander, which meant 'to roam' and is like the German wandern that means to walk from place to place. So calling people or animals wandering shows they move from place to place instead of staying in one home.