How to pronounce wander
Say it like WAHN-der. Wander has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WAHN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce wander. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WAHN
- der
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wander pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WAHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- derKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of wander
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: WON-duh.
What does wander mean?
- move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment“The gypsies roamed the woods”“roving vagabonds”
- be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage“She cheats on her husband”“Might her husband be wandering?”
- go via an indirect route or at no set pace“After dinner, we wandered into town”
Where does wander come from?
From Middle English wandren, from Old English wandrian (“to wander, roam, fly around, hover; change; stray, err”), from Proto-West Germanic *wandarōn (“to wander”), from *wandōn (“to turn, change”) + *-rōn (frequentative suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with wander
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wander.
Questions about saying wander
How do you pronounce wander?
Say WAHN-der. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɑndɚ/. In British English it is /ˈwɒndə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wander?
Wander has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WAHN). Broken into parts: WAHN · der.
Is wander pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈwɒndə/ (WON-duh).