wanderlust
4 synonyms and 2 antonyms for wanderlust, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A strong, restless desire to travel and see new places.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
homesickness
homebody instinct
How to use wanderlust
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
cure my wanderlust
fuel your wanderlust
a case of wanderlust
satisfy his wanderlust
Uncountable and mostly positive; heavily used in travel marketing and on social media, to the point of cliché.
Etymology
A borrowing of German Wanderlust, from wandern "to hike, ramble" and Lust "desire".
Full origin of wanderlust →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between wanderlust and fernweh?
Both are German. Wanderlust is the pleasure of roaming and the urge to set off; fernweh is a literal "far-sickness", an ache for distant places, and is the opposite of homesickness. English has borrowed wanderlust far more widely.
Is wanderlust a real English word?
Yes. It was borrowed from German and has been used in English for well over a century; it appears in all major English dictionaries.
Can wanderlust be used as an adjective?
Not on its own. The usual forms are "wanderlusting" or, more naturally, phrases like "full of wanderlust".
