meander

1 of 2

noun

me·​an·​der mē-ˈan-dər 

1

: a winding path or course

the new path, which he supposed only to make a few meanders

—Samuel Johnson

especially : labyrinth

2

: a turn or winding of a stream

The meander eventually became isolated from the main stream.

meandrous

mē-ˈan-drəs 

adjective

meander

2 of 2

verb

meandered; meandering mē-ˈan-d(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to follow a winding or intricate course

across the ceiling meandered a long crack

—John Galsworthy

2

: to wander aimlessly or casually without urgent destination : ramble

he meandered with the sightseers gawping at the boat people

—John le Carré

Did you know?

Meander comes from Greek Maiandros, an old name for a winding river in Asia Minor that is now known as the Menderes. Despite this origin, the word is more commonly used to refer to a person's wandering course than a river's.

Synonyms

Verb

• bat
• cruise
• drift
• float
• gad (about)
• gallivant
• galavant
• kick around
• knock (about)
• maunder
• mooch
• ramble
• range
• roam
• rove
• traipse
• wander

Choose the Right Synonym for meander

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

Examples of meander in a Sentence

Verb

The path meanders through the garden.

We meandered around the village.

The conversation meandered on for hours.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Cumberland Gap's 85 miles of hiking trails meander through the national park with distances ranging from a 1/4-mile loop trail to the 21-mile-long Ridge Trail. —Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 16 Oct. 2024

The Wailea Beach Path meanders along South Maui’s photogenic coast between posh resorts and the deep blue Pacific. —Shannon Wianecki, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024

Verb

She’s equally given to long, sometimes meandering stories and profoundly succinct expressions of complex ideas. —Jillian Steinhauer, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024

Part of a trilogy by the prolific Scottish author and political figure, the novel is set in the nineteenth century and, unlike the film, is meandering, irritatingly twee, and wearyingly long. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Latin maeander, from Greek maiandros, from Maiandros (now Menderes), river in Asia Minor

First Known Use

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

circa 1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

meander

1 of 2 noun

me·​an·​der mē-ˈan-dər 

1

: a turn or winding of a stream

2

: a winding path or course

meander

2 of 2 verb

meandered; meandering

-d(ə-)riŋ

1

: to follow a winding or complicated course

2

: to wander without a goal or purpose