noun
wanderlust
WON-der-lust
Wanderlust (noun) means a strong, restless desire to travel and see new places. Example: “A winter of grey skies gave her serious wanderlust.”
noun
1
A strong, restless desire to travel and see new places.
"A winter of grey skies gave her serious wanderlust."
"He blames his wanderlust for never having kept a flat for more than a year."
How to use wanderlust
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe itch to go travelling.
When to use it
Uncountable and mostly positive; heavily used in travel marketing and on social media, to the point of cliché.
Memory tip
Treat it as uncountable: say "I have wanderlust", not "a wanderlust" or "wanderlusts".
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
fernweh
itchy feet
Common pairings
cure my wanderlust
fuel your wanderlust
a case of wanderlust
satisfy his wanderlust
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A winter of grey skies gave her serious _____.
Etymology
A borrowing of German Wanderlust, from wandern "to hike, ramble" and Lust "desire".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
homesickness
homebody instinct
Related words
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".
What is the meaning of wanderlust?
"wanderlust" (noun) means a strong, restless desire to travel and see new places.
