errant

IPA/ˈerənt/
KK[ˈɛrənt]IPA/ˈerənt/

errant — adjective

  • errantpositive
  • more errantcomparative
  • most errantsuperlative

1. describes a person who has done something wrong or unacceptable, particularly by

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describes a person who has done something wrong or unacceptable, particularly by running away from family responsibilities or breaking moral rules

例句

The villagers were shocked by the errant son who stole money from his own mother.

errant son — describes a family member who has done wrong

After years of trouble, the errant monk returned to the monastery to ask for forgiveness.

同義詞
  • wayward

    stronger focus on stubborn disobedience, often of a child or dependent

  • misbehaving

    less formal; describes someone breaking rules without the literary tone of 'errant'

  • delinquent

    more legalistic; often used for young people who commit crimes

反義詞
  • obedient

    doing what you are told to do

  • dutiful

    conscientiously fulfilling your responsibilities

文法句型

errant + noun (usually before a noun)

用法筆記

Usually placed before the noun (attributive position). You would not say 'the son was errant' in natural English — instead say 'the errant son'.

常見錯誤

❌My dog is errant and always runs away.
✅My dog is a runaway and always runs away.
💡'errant' is very formal and rarely used in everyday speech about pets.

2. describes something that moves or goes in a way that is not planned or controlle

2.形容詞C1
釋義

describes something that moves or goes in a way that is not planned or controlled, often causing an unwanted result

例句

An errant snowball hit the back of an elderly woman's head during the schoolyard fight.

errant snowball — an object that goes off course

During the storm, an errant branch crashed through the window of the kitchen.

同義詞
  • stray

    less formal; common for animals or objects that have wandered off course

  • wayward

    suggests stubborn or unpredictable movement; overlaps with sense 1

  • rogue

    stronger; implies something is dangerously out of control

反義詞

文法句型

errant + noun (usually before a noun)

用法筆記

Common in newspaper writing for accidents involving a stray object (ball, vehicle, branch). Not used for people in this sense.

常見錯誤

❌The dog ran in an errant direction.
✅An errant dog ran into the street.
💡'errant' must come before the noun it modifies in this sense.

3. describes a person who moves between different locations without settling down,

3.形容詞C1
釋義

describes a person who moves between different locations without settling down, often looking for adventure or fresh experiences

例句

For three years Andrei lived as an errant scholar, visiting libraries across Eastern Europe.

errant scholar — someone who travels in pursuit of knowledge

The novel follows an errant knight who roams the countryside righting wrongs.

同義詞
  • wandering

    neutral and common; lacks the literary, slightly archaic tone of 'errant'

  • itinerant

    formal; often used for workers who travel (itinerant labourer, itinerant preacher)

  • roving

    implies movement without a fixed goal; common in 'roving reporter'

反義詞
  • settled

    living in one place with no plans to move

  • sedentary

    staying in one place; not traveling

文法句型

errant + noun (usually before a noun)

用法筆記

Chiefly used in literary or historical contexts. Modern English prefers 'wandering', 'itinerant', or 'roaming' for non-fictional travel.

常見錯誤

❌My aunt is an errant traveller who visits different countries.
✅My aunt is an avid traveller who visits different countries.
💡'errant' sounds outdated for describing modern tourism.