roam

verb

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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like Great Sand Dunes in Colorado—one of my favorite national parks—this state park is a beautiful place to roam, explore, and spend a night under a starry sky. Maya Silver, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2025 In the 1960s, a quarter of dogs roamed freely, and euthanasia rates in shelters were 10 to 20 times higher. William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 Painter and Jensen have seen beavers, muskrats, pond turtles, deer and black bears roaming the grounds. David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025 Criminal alien predators should not be free to roam our communities. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for roam

Word History

Etymology

Middle English romen

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of roam was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Roam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roam. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

roam

verb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on roam

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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