Fernweh vs Wanderlust: What’s the Difference?
The difference at a glance
Fernweh is a longing for places you have never been. Wanderlust is the general urge to be traveling or moving.
Example sentences are illustrative learning examples, not verified quotations.
What does Fernweh mean?
noun · /ˈfɛrnveɪ/
A longing for faraway places one has not yet been to — the ache for somewhere distant and unknown, as opposed to homesickness. The desire for the unfamiliar, specifically.
Explore FernwehFernweh in a sentence
Looking at photographs of Patagonia gave her a fernweh so specific she could almost smell the wind.
Some people are born with fernweh — an orientation toward elsewhere that never entirely resolves.
What does Wanderlust mean?
noun · /ˈwɒndəlʌst/
A strong desire to travel and rove about; a yearning to see new places and experience unfamiliar things — compulsive, pleasurable restlessness directed outward.
Explore WanderlustWanderlust in a sentence
The wanderlust that had driven her across four continents eventually settled into something quieter.
She had had the same wanderlust since she was twelve — the feeling that the real thing was always somewhere ahead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Fernweh and Wanderlust?
Fernweh is a longing for places you have never been. Wanderlust is the general urge to be traveling or moving.
What does Fernweh mean?
A longing for faraway places one has not yet been to — the ache for somewhere distant and unknown, as opposed to homesickness. The desire for the unfamiliar, specifically.
What does Wanderlust mean?
A strong desire to travel and rove about; a yearning to see new places and experience unfamiliar things — compulsive, pleasurable restlessness directed outward.