Meander
verb / noun /mɪˈændər/ — To wander without urgency — following the path of least resistance.
Definition
To follow a winding course; to wander without fixed direction, especially in a relaxed or aimless way; (noun) a winding curve or bend in a river.
Beyond the definition
Rivers meander. Conversations meander. Lives meander. The word names purposelessness without condemning it — a meander isn't a mistake, it's a form of movement that doesn't know in advance where it's going. The great rivers of the world meander as they mature; the straightened ones run faster but flood more.
Origin & history
From the Maeander (now Büyük Menderes) river in ancient Lydia (modern Turkey), famous for its winding course. The river name became the verb.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
They meandered through the afternoon, no destination in mind, ending up somewhere better than planned.
The conversation meandered pleasantly through three continents before arriving, somehow, at the point.
The river meandered through the valley, widening at each bend, taking the long way as rivers do.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Meander” when the meaning fits your context: To follow a winding course; to wander without fixed direction, especially in a relaxed or aimless way; (noun) a winding curve or bend in a river.
Synonyms
wander, ramble, drift, amble, stray
Antonyms
rush, charge, march, beeline
Related words
Meander vs wander
Wander implies movement without a specific destination. Meander describes following a winding or indirect course, often used for streams or people walking leisurely without focus.
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
The river had been straightened in the 1970s — a public works project, meant to improve drainage. A direct channel replaced decades of curves.
A hydrologist who studied the area later said this was, ecologically, a disaster. "The curves were not inefficiency," she said. "They were how the river managed itself — slowing, spreading, filtering. The straight channel moved water faster. It also moved it worse."
The curves are being reintroduced, one section at a time. The river, given room, is returning to the shape it had before. Some things know their own way.
Questions about this word
What does "Meander" mean?
Meander is verb / noun meaning: To wander without urgency — following the path of least resistance.. To follow a winding course; to wander without fixed direction, especially in a relaxed or aimless way; (noun) a winding curve or bend in a river.
Where does the word "Meander" come from?
From the Maeander (now Büyük Menderes) river in ancient Lydia (modern Turkey), famous for its winding course. The river name became the verb.