roam

verb

ˈrōm 

roamed; roaming; roams

intransitive verb

1

: to go from place to place without purpose or direction : wander

2

: to travel purposefully unhindered through a wide area

cattle roaming in search of water

3

: to use a cellular phone outside one's local calling area

roaming charges

transitive verb

: to range or wander over

roam noun

roamer noun

Synonyms

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

Choose the Right Synonym for roam

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 roam in a Sentence

The cattle roamed in search of water.

Goats roam free on the mountain.

He roamed about in search of work.

The chickens are able to roam around freely in the farmyard.

We roamed around town for a while before dinner.

She liked to roam through the woods.

Recent Examples on the Web

The legacy of the British Q-ships During World War I, more than 200 Q-ships—and perhaps as many as 400—roamed the seas. —Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025

As nocturnal creatures, this provides them with a comfortable space to freely roam about. —Sarah Han, Allure, 16 Feb. 2025

Miami Beach’s Paradise Cafe had fewer violations (25) and High Priority violations (five) last week, but hosted live and roaming roaches. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025

Students stood outside shuttered classrooms and roamed aimlessly on Tuesday, when teachers started a two-day strike. —arkansasonline.com, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English romen

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing roam

• his/her/my eyes roam

Kids Definition

roam

verb

ˈrōm 

1

: to go or go over from place to place without a plan

roam the hills

cattle roaming in search of water

2

: to use a cell phone outside one's local calling area

roamer noun