wander

wander, roam, ramble, rove, traipse, meander mean to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose. wander implies an absence of or an indifference to a fixed course <fond of wandering about the square just watching the people>. roam suggests wandering about freely and often far afield <liked to roam through the woods>. ramble stresses carelessness and indifference to one's course or objective <the speaker rambled on without ever coming to the point>. rove suggests vigorous and sometimes purposeful roaming <armed brigands roved over the countryside>. traipse implies a course that is erratic but may sometimes be purposeful <traipsed all over town looking for the right dress>. meander implies a winding or intricate course suggestive of aimless or listless wandering <the river meanders for miles through rich farmland>.

wander, roam, and ramble mean to move about from place to place without a reason or plan. wander is used for moving about without following a fixed course. <The tribes wandered in the desert for forty years.> roam is used for the carefree act of wandering over a wide area often for the sake of enjoyment. <I roamed over the hills and through the meadows.> ramble is used for wandering in a careless way. <Horses rambled over the open range.>