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Synonyms

roam

American  
[rohm] / roʊm /

verb (used without object)

  1. to walk, go, or travel without a fixed purpose or direction; ramble; wander; rove.

    to roam about the world.

    Synonyms:
    prowl, stroll, stray

verb (used with object)

  1. to wander over or through.

    to roam the countryside.

noun

  1. an act or instance of roaming; a ramble.

roam British  
/ rəʊm /

verb

  1. to travel or walk about with no fixed purpose or direction; wander

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act of roaming

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Roam, ramble, range, rove imply wandering about over (usually) a considerable amount of territory. Roam implies a wandering or traveling over a large area, especially as prompted by restlessness or curiosity: to roam through a forest. Ramble implies pleasant, carefree moving about, walking with no specific purpose and for a limited distance: to ramble through fields near home. Range usually implies wandering over a more or less defined but extensive area in search of something: Cattle range over the plains. Rove sometimes implies wandering with specific incentive or aim, as an animal for prey: Bandits rove through these mountains.

Other Word Forms

  • roamer noun
  • unroaming adjective

Etymology

Origin of roam

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English romen origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Think of agents as autonomous digital bots that roam up and down a company probing and executing its business process.

From The Wall Street Journal

Around 95 million years ago, the Spinosaurus -- a massive beast with a blade-shaped head crest and interlocking teeth -- roamed the African continent.

From Barron's

Chickens roam a fenced enclosure, laying eggs that appear in dishes at Sunday brunch.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr. Boyes wonders if any current descendants of Henry—any similarly gargantuan beasts—are still roaming the planet, then sets out to find them, if they exist.

From The Wall Street Journal

But Dunk declines, offering to take Egg as his squire only if the boy keeps roaming with him.

From Salon