roam

/rəʊm/ (bre, ipa) · /rəʊm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈrōm/ (ame, mw)

roam — verb

  • roampresent simple I / you / we / they
  • roamshe / she / it
  • roamedpast simple
  • roaming-ing form

1. to move across a wide area without a clear plan or fixed destination

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to move across a wide area without a clear plan or fixed destination

例句

Haruki loves to roam the old streets of Kyoto on weekend afternoons.

roam + noun phrase (place)

The goats roamed freely across the green hillside for hours.

roam + adverb of place

同義詞
  • wander

    more casual and unhurried; often implies no purpose at all

  • ramble

    suggests a long walk through the countryside for pleasure

  • drift

    implies being carried by mood or chance rather than choosing direction

反義詞
  • stay

    to remain in one place

  • settle

    to establish a fixed home or location

文法句型

roam + adverb of place

roam + noun phrase (place)

用法筆記

Can be used transitively (roam the streets) or intransitively (roam around). The transitive pattern is common with place nouns such as 'streets,' 'hills,' or 'forest.'

常見錯誤

❌We roamed the new shopping mall.
✅We walked around the new shopping mall.
💡'roam' suggests a large, open area, not an indoor mall.
❌He roamed the book in the library.
✅He roamed around the library looking for a book.
💡'roam' cannot take a direct object that is a thing; it takes a place.

2. used of hands or eyes that travel slowly over another person's body in an unwant

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

used of hands or eyes that travel slowly over another person's body in an unwanted or sexual way

例句

On the crowded bus, Elena felt a stranger's eyes roaming over her legs.

eyes roam + over + body part

Nora pulled away quickly when his hands began to roam down her back.

同義詞
  • wander

    can be used similarly, e.g. 'his eyes wandered'

  • rove

    more literary and less common

文法句型

roam + over/across + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used with 'over' or 'across' to indicate the surface being moved over. Subject is typically 'hands' or 'eyes.' This sense almost always implies unwanted or inappropriate attention.

常見錯誤

❌His eyes roamed the painting.
✅His eyes roamed over the painting.
💡In this sense, a preposition (over/across) is required after 'roam.'

3. to be sexually involved with people other than your spouse or regular partner

3.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to be sexually involved with people other than your spouse or regular partner

例句

After twenty years of marriage, Kavita discovered that her husband had been roaming.

roam used for marital infidelity

The tabloid accused the famous singer of roaming while his wife was on tour.

同義詞
  • cheat

    more common and direct; can take an object with 'on'

  • stray

    similar metaphor of wandering; slightly more formal

  • be unfaithful

    more formal and explicit

反義詞

文法句型

roam (no object)

用法筆記

This sense does not take an object or a prepositional phrase. It is used intransitively by itself ('someone is roaming'). More direct alternatives include 'cheat on' or 'be unfaithful to.'

常見錯誤

❌He roamed on his wife.
✅He roamed.' or 'He cheated on his wife.
💡In this sense, 'roam' is used without a direct object or prepositional complement.

4. to have your mobile phone connect to another carrier's network instead of your u

4.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to have your mobile phone connect to another carrier's network instead of your usual one, typically while travelling abroad

例句

When Ingrid landed in Tokyo, her phone automatically started roaming on a local network.

roam on + network name

Make sure to turn off data roaming before you board the plane to avoid extra charges.

data roaming

文法句型

roam on + network

data roaming

用法筆記

Sometimes shortened to just 'roaming' as a noun ('I turned on roaming'). The fixed phrases 'data roaming' and 'roaming charges' are extremely common in phone settings and bills.

常見錯誤

❌My phone is roaming around the city.
✅My phone is roaming on a local network.
💡In the telecom sense, 'roam' always refers to network switching, not physical movement of the phone.