roam
gb/ɹˈoʊm/ us/ɹˈoʊm/
B2
English
~ 8600
barangol, kóborol, kalandozik, elkalandozik, roamingol, idegen hálózatra kapcsolódik
VERB
B2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[an animal] roams [a place]
We spent the afternoon roaming the old city streets with no particular plan.
A délutánt azzal töltöttük, hogy különösebb terv nélkül barangoltunk az óváros utcáin.
Wild horses still roam the plains in this region.
Ebben a térségben még mindig vadlovak járják a síkságot.
During their gap year, they roamed across South America on a tight budget.
Security guards roam the building at night to make sure everything is safe.
As kids, we used to roam the fields until it got dark.
Learner examples
We roamed the park for hours.
Órákig barangoltunk a parkban.
Cows roam the field all day.
A tehenek egész nap szabadon járkálnak a legelőn.
They like to roam the city on weekends.
When I travel, I just roam and see what I find.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "roam" with "Rome" (the city) or with "room." Also, they may overuse prepositions, saying *"roam in the streets"* instead of the more natural *"roam the streets." In English, "roam" often takes a direct object for the place: *"roam the city," "roam the park."*
Meaning
Move freely without fixed destination
Collocations
roam free
|roam the streets
|roam the countryside
|roam the halls
|roam around
|roam the world
Synonyms
wander (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and neutral, while "roam" can suggest a wider area or more freedom.)
|
roam around (More informal and emphasizes the lack of purpose even more strongly than "roam" alone.)
Antonyms
stay (Focuses on remaining in one place instead of moving around freely.)
|
settle (Implies choosing a fixed place to live or remain, the opposite of continuing to move from place to place.)
Themes
travel
|daily life
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
to move or travel in a place without a clear plan or direction, often slowly and freely
To move or travel freely over an area, without a fixed plan, route, or destination, often for exploration or pleasure.
VERB
C1
2
kalandozik
B2
elkalandozik
B2
Usage pattern:
[eyes]/[hands]/[mind]/[thoughts] roam [a place]/[over something]
Her eyes roamed the room, looking for an empty seat.
Tekintete végigpásztázta a termet, üres helyet keresve.
As he spoke, her mind roamed to memories of their last trip together.
Miközben a férfi beszélt, a nő gondolatai visszakalandoztak a legutóbbi közös utazásuk emlékeihez.
The teacher noticed his attention roaming and called his name.
His hands roamed over the keyboard as he tried to remember the melody.
During the long meeting, my thoughts kept roaming back to my vacation plans.
Learner examples
Her eyes roamed around the shop.
A tekintete körbekalandozott az üzletben.
My mind roams when I am tired.
Amikor fáradt vagyok, elkalandoznak a gondolataim.
His thoughts roamed to his family far away.
The child's eyes roamed over the toys.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this sense always involves physical movement of the whole body. In this meaning, only the eyes, hands, thoughts, or attention move. Also, some learners use it only for positive situations, but it can describe distraction or lack of focus as well.
Meaning
Eyes or mind move around freely
Collocations
eyes roam
|let your mind roam
|mind roams
|thoughts roam
|hands roam
|eyes roam over
Synonyms
wander (Common for thoughts or attention; slightly softer and more everyday than "roam," which can sound more vivid or descriptive.)
|
scan (Implies a more deliberate, focused search, while "roam" suggests looser, less controlled movement.)
Antonyms
focus (Means to direct attention or sight on one thing, the opposite of letting it move around freely.)
|
fix (As in "fix your eyes on" something; implies holding your gaze steady instead of letting it roam.)
Themes
perception
|emotions
|communication
|body
Definition
when your eyes, hands, or thoughts move from one thing to another without staying in one place or on one idea
Of eyes, hands, thoughts, or attention: to move over different things or areas without staying on one, often in a searching or distracted way.
VERB
B2
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
[a phone]/[a device] roams [on another network]
You can roam on partner networks in over 50 countries at no extra cost.
Több mint 50 országban külön díj nélkül roamingolhatsz a partnerhálózatokon.
Turn off mobile data if you don't want your phone to roam while you're abroad.
Kapcsold ki a mobiladat-forgalmat, ha nem szeretnéd, hogy külföldön roamingoljon a telefonod.
The plan lets you roam within the EU as if you were at home.
Learner examples
My phone roams when I travel to another country.
A telefonom roamingol, amikor másik országba utazom.
It is expensive to roam with this mobile plan.
Ezzel a díjcsomaggal drága roamingolni.
I do not want my phone to roam, so I turn off data.
You can roam on this network in other countries.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this is the same as physically moving around. In this technical sense, it is the phone or device that "roams" by using another company’s network, not the person walking around.
Meaning
Use a non-home mobile network
Collocations
roam internationally
|roam on partner networks
|roam abroad
|roam outside your network
|data roam
|roam without extra charges
Synonyms
connect (A very general word for making a network connection; "roam" specifically means connecting through a different provider's network.)
Antonyms
disconnect (Means not being connected to any network, the opposite of a device roaming on another network.)
Themes
technology
|communication
|travel
Definition
when your mobile phone uses another company’s network because you are outside your normal service area
Of a mobile phone or other wireless device: to connect and operate on a different network when outside the coverage area of its usual provider, often at extra cost.
Grammar
Dictionary form
roam
IPA
GB/ɹˈoʊm/
US/ɹˈoʊm/
Syllables & stress
roam (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (roam)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: roam
- 3rd Person Singular: roams
- Present Participle: roaming
- Past: roamed
Word family
Forms
roams
verb
roaming
verb
roamed
verb
Core family
roamer
noun
Expressions
roam around
1/ɹˈoʊm ɚˈaʊnd/
phrasal verb
Move around with no clear plan
to move or travel in a place in a relaxed way, without a clear plan or purpose
Examples
- We roamed around the market all morning, stopping whenever something caught our eye.
- On Sundays, I like to roam around the city and discover new cafés.
roam free
1/ɹˈoʊm fɹˈi/
fixed phrase
Move freely without control
to move around a place freely, without being kept in a cage, room, or small space
Examples
- The sanctuary lets rescued animals roam free in large open fields.
- Children roamed free in the camp during the day, joining different activities as they wished.
roam the streets
1/ɹˈoʊm ðə stɹˈits/
fixed phrase
Wander through city streets
to walk around city streets without a clear plan or destination, often for a long time
Examples
- Homeless dogs roam the streets at night, looking for food.
- As teenagers, they would roam the streets until midnight, talking and laughing.