wanderlust

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   A strong, lasting wish to travel and see new places.

   Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: 'She has wanderlust.' Not 'a wanderlust' or 'wanderlusts'.

   Patterns

   • have wanderlust
   • a sense of wanderlust
   • satisfy your wanderlust
   • wanderlust for something

   After two years at the same desk, his wanderlust became impossible to ignore.

   The travel blog was born out of pure wanderlust and a cheap camera.

   Her wanderlust for the mountains kept pulling her back to Nepal.

2. 2noununcountable

   The urge to leave home and roam, often felt as restlessness.

   Grammar: Often appears with verbs like 'feel', 'give in to', or 'cure'.

   Patterns

   • feel wanderlust
   • give in to wanderlust
   • cure someone's wanderlust

   He felt a sudden wanderlust and booked a one-way ticket.

   Giving in to wanderlust, they sold the car and bought backpacks.

Common combinations

a bad case of wanderlust

She's got a bad case of wanderlust and keeps checking flight prices.

satisfy your wanderlust

A weekend in Lisbon was enough to satisfy my wanderlust for now.

wanderlust takes hold

Every spring, wanderlust takes hold and I start planning a trip.

a lifelong wanderlust

His lifelong wanderlust began with a school trip to Rome.

Synonyms and how they differ

itch to travel

More informal and usually temporary; 'wanderlust' suggests a deeper, ongoing desire.

restlessness

Focuses on the uncomfortable feeling of not wanting to stay put, not specifically on travel.

nomadism

Describes an actual way of life, while 'wanderlust' is only the feeling.

Opposites

Commonly confused: wanderlust or wander?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “wanderlust”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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