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Glite Dictionary
to roam

to roam

189 2.5
Move around without a fixed place, often while looking for something
  • verb
  • /roʊm/
translation icon : vagar
  • But their enemies roam the land.
  • roam the streets
  • roam free
  • roam freely

Just people roaming the streets selling their stuff.

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Examples

  • Children need to let their imaginations roam through stories, dramatizations, play, and art.

    Academic text (1998)

  • In her free time, she loves to roam through the countryside, discovering hidden trails.

  • So I'm glad have the rental car and can just roam around all of California.

  • Our desire to explore, to adventure, to roam without boundaries.

  • Just people roaming the streets selling their stuff.

    MIT OpenCourseWare

  • We love to roam our woodsy home

    Blades of Glory (2007)

  • I want to go to Alaska and roam around the tundra someday.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • When he was a teenager, he would often roam the city, searching for interesting street art.

  • The dogs are free to roam in the park as long as they are on a leash.

Synonyms

to wander
vsto roam
379 1.3

Move around without a fixed direction, often slowly and in curves

is often done with the aim of finding something rather than for relaxation
to drift
vsto roam
331 2.9

To move slowly without a clear direction, for example when air or water move something

is usually done while searching for something rather than passive movement
to walk around
vsto roam
214 1.7

To go on foot in a place without a clear purpose, often for pleasure

is more about searching for something rather than mere time passing
to roll
vsto roam
100 2.0

To move from place to place without a fixed home or plan

is similar but used more generally beyond those specific motives
to range
vsto roam
25 3.3

To move or travel freely over an area

is often used for aimless searching rather than general free travel
to rove
vsto roam
22 6.4

To travel around without a fixed plan, often looking for something

is identical in meaning according to the given descriptions
to ramble
vsto roam
14 4.4

To walk for pleasure without a fixed route

is often done while searching, not only for pleasure
to cruise around
vsto roam
12 4.1

To drive slowly around an area without a specific destination

is often more about searching for something than relaxed sightseeing
to gallivant
vsto roam
  • Informal
11 8.4

To roam around for pleasure without a clear plan

is often done to look for something rather than solely for fun
to wander the streets
vsto roam
11 2.9

To walk around a town or city without a clear purpose

is broader, not limited to streets and urban walking
to mill around
vsto roam
  • Informal
9 3.7

Move around slowly in a place without any clear purpose, often in a group

is more solitary and often involves searching rather than crowd movement
to get about
vsto roam
  • UK
9 2.8

To move around a house or area

is more aimless and often involves searching rather than ordinary movement
to traipse
vsto roam
8 7.6

To walk around without a clear plan, often slowly and without much energy

is often undertaken to look for something, not only from low energy strolling
to walk about
vsto roam
  • UK
8 3.1

To move around a place on your feet without a clear purpose

is often done while looking for something rather than only wandering
to run about
vsto roam
7 1.4

To move around quickly and energetically without a clear purpose

is usually slower and more aimless, often involving a search
to mill about
vsto roam
7 5.3

To move around a place without a clear reason, often in a group

is usually individual aimless travel often involving a search
drifting
vsto roam
6 5.0

Moving from place to place without a clear purpose

is often done while searching for something rather than pure aimlessness
to traipse around
vsto roam
  • Informal
4 6.9

To walk around without a clear purpose

is often more purposeful, involving a search rather than idle walking
to gad about
vsto roam
  • UK
3 9.0

To move around places for pleasure without a plan

is more tied to searching for something than mere pleasure
to traipse through
vsto roam
  • Informal
3 6.8

To walk slowly through a place without a clear purpose

is often done while searching for something rather than casual strolling
to swan
vsto roam
  • Informal
3 7.9

To move around in a relaxed, aimless way without a fixed plan

is often done with the aim of finding something rather than mere leisure
to tool around
vsto roam
  • Informal
2 7.7

Move around with no set place to go for fun

is often done to look for something practical rather than casual leisure
roaming freely
vsto roam
2 3.7

To move around without fences or other limits

is more about aimless travel often done while looking for something
roving
vsto roam
2 4.1

Moving from place to place without a fixed home

is often about searching for something while this implies migratory movement
to go walkabout
vsto roam
  • UK
2 8.2

To travel without a set plan to explore and think

is often done to search for something practical rather than personal exploration
to potter around
vsto roam
  • UK
1 6.5

To move around slowly doing small jobs in no hurry

is often done to search for something rather than purely idling
to vagabond
vsto roam
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To move from place to place without a home

is the contemporary general term rather than the archaic form
to footle
vsto roam
  • UK
1 9.9

Move around without a clear plan or purpose

is often done while seeking something rather than just wasting time
to perambulate
vsto roam
1 9.7

To walk around without a clear destination for pleasure

is often done to look for something rather than simply for leisure
ranging
vsto roam
5.1

Moving freely over a wide area or from one topic to another

is more focused on aimless searching rather than just covering a wide area
to gad
vsto roam
  • UK
9.9

To go from place to place for fun without a plan

is often motivated by searching rather than only by enjoyment
to maunder
vsto roam
  • UK
9.9

To walk slowly without a clear purpose

is often used for searching rather than simple idle wandering
to trapes around
vsto roam
9.6

Walk around slowly without a plan

is more often done to search for something than mere casual wandering
to tootle around
vsto roam
  • UK
8.4

To travel slowly without a clear plan

is often motivated by searching for something rather than pure leisure

Antonyms

to settle
463 2.5

To live in a place, often for a long time

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

How Far

to range
25 3.3
to rove
22 6.4
to roam
189 2.5
to wander
379 1.3
to drift
331 2.9

Surface Forms

roam infinitive
roamed past
roamed past participle
roaming present participle
roams third person singular

Etymology

Roam probably comes from old words for moving about, and a helpful way to remember it is to think of a roamer, someone who 'wanders' without a set home or plan. So, to roam is to move or travel aimlessly, often exploring or looking for something.