meander
Follow winding paths
Meander means to follow a winding course.
Rivers meander across floodplains, taking indirect paths.
People meander through streets or conversations, moving without urgency or fixed direction: We meandered through the old town, The discussion meandered for an hour before reaching any point.
A meander is also a bend in a river or a decorative pattern of connected curves.
Travel without fixed purpose
- rambleMove or speak without direction
- driftGradual movement, no direction
- strollRelaxed walk for enjoyment
- ambleRelaxed, slow gait
saunter · rove · traipse · perambulate · gallivant · peregrinate · vagabond · nomadic
Move or speak without direction
- tangentLine touching curve once
- wanderMove without fixed direction
- deviateTurn from course
- strayWander from course
diverge · discursive · circuitous · roundabout · indirect · off-topic · aside · detour
Linger without purpose
- moseyWalk in no rush
- potterMaker of clay vessels
- lingerStay beyond necessity
- loiterRemain idly in place
dally · tarry · laze · unhurried · relaxed · idle · putter · stroll
Tight river curve
- sinuousCurving in flowing turns
- windingCurving repeatedly, sinuous
- bendCurve or flex
- curveSmooth, angleless line
loop · serpentine · channel · floodplain · confluence · tributary · delta · estuary
Curving repeatedly, sinuous
- convolutedExcessively complex or twisted
- labyrinthineExtremely complex and winding
- serpentineCurving in repeated bends
- twistingRotating with distortion
sinuous · complex · tortuous · circuitous · byzantine · tangled
roam
Travel without fixed purpose
- rambleMove or speak without direction
- driftGradual movement, no direction
- strollRelaxed walk for enjoyment
amble · saunter · rove · traipse · perambulate · gallivant · peregrinate · vagabond · nomadic · itinerant
ramble
Move or speak without direction
stray · diverge · discursive · circuitous · roundabout · indirect · off-topic · aside · detour
dawdle
Linger without purpose
loiter · dally · tarry · laze · unhurried · relaxed · idle · putter · stroll · saunter
oxbow
Tight river curve
curve · loop · serpentine · channel · floodplain · confluence · tributary · delta · estuary · riparian
winding
Curving repeatedly, sinuous
- convolutedExcessively complex or twisted
- labyrinthineExtremely complex and winding
- serpentineCurving in repeated bends
twisting · sinuous · complex · tortuous · circuitous · byzantine · tangled
- floodplainsalluvium, flood zone, backswamp, bottomland, floodway
- river processeserosion, abrasion, attrition, corrosion, downcutting
- stream featuresriffle, pool, run, eddy, waterfall
- movementwalk, move, go, run, jump
- walkingwalking, brisk walking, strolling, ambling, sauntering
- relaxationrelax, naps, break, rest, calm
meandergo straight
Cease criminal activity
beeline · shortcut · cut across · straighten · zigzag
- meandering pathRoute with many curves
- meandering riverCurving watercourse with bends
- meandering streamWatercourse with many bends