Meandering Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/ˈmeendərɪŋ/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Adj./ Verb

Definition

A narrative, landscape, or path that deviates from a straight course, often in a meandering or winding way, used to describe a creative, leisurely, or unpredictable style.

Examples

• The river’s meandering course through the valley created a scenic hiking trail.
• The artist’s painting had a meandering storyline that kept viewers engaged.

Usage Notes

Meandering can be used to describe various things such as a river’s course, a person’s thought process, or a creative work’s narrative structure.

Cultural References

The concept of meandering has been explored in various works of literature, movies, and music. For example, James Joyce’s novel “Ulysses” features a meandering narrative that reflects the protagonist’s stream of consciousness.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

• “Take the scenic route” – implies a meandering journey with picturesque views.
• “Meander through the conversation” – to engage in a leisurely and unpredictable dialogue.

Related Words or Phrases

Meandering is often linked with concepts like wandering, drifting, or rambling, which convey a sense of movement or progression without a clear destination.

Collocations

Meandering often appears in combination with words like “course”, “narrative”, “storyline”, or “route”, highlighting its connection to concepts of movement and progression.

Frequency of Use

Meandering is a somewhat less common term, often used in literary or creative contexts to describe a style or narrative structure that deviates from the norm.

Common Misspellings

• Meandaring
• Meanderingly