In English, "wanderlust" is semi-common and easy to understand. It's a popular title for creative works like books, songs, albums, movies, and so on—there's even a Jeep called the Wanderlust—and it has a positive, exciting tone. (If, instead, you need a synonym with a negative, critical tone, use "dromomania," which has Greek bits that mean "an illness or obsession for roaming or running.")

We talk about someone's wanderlust, or about someone having (or gaining or losing) their wanderlust, or about the things that inspire or satisfy our wanderlust. I love being at home, so it takes a lot to kindle my wanderlust, and one airsick trip to snuff it right out again.

On a rare occasion, you might see someone use the word "wanderlust" abstractly, to mean an urge to roam to something new, like a new career, romance, cuisine, hobby, or philosophy.

"For some, an extended vacation or a more flexible workweek might quell their wanderlust."
   — Kevin Roose, New York Times, 21 April 2021

"The story of our species is driven by wanderlust. Born in Africa, Homo sapiens expanded into the far corners of the globe in the past 100,000 years, meeting and mingling with more archaic hominins already living there." 
   — Elizabeth Culotta, Science, 22 December 2016

"[Bethan Huws's] work has included architectural interventions (adding floors to otherwise empty galleries), films, sculptures, performances and watercolours ... It's tempting to see Huws's artistic wanderlust extending to her life. She was born in Bangor, north Wales in 1961, before studying at the Royal College in London, and she has lived in Paris and Berlin."
   —Skye Sherwin, The Guardian, 2 March 2011

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If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "wanderlust" without saying "passion for travel" or "desire to roam."

try it out:

In praise of wanderlust, a writer for Google Arts and Culture said:

"We are a nomadic species. The yearning we feel to see what's just over the horizon, to explore the unexplored, springs from somewhere deep inside... To travel is to discover more than just the world. It is to discover more about what it means to be human. And then make people jealous about it on social media."

Is that true? Is wanderlust in our blood? Talk about the extent to which you agree or disagree.

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for March: it's the Inkhorn Stinkhorn!

It’s inspired by the Twofer Goofer, created by Collin Waldoch, in which you're given a circumlocutory clue, like "An eater with an excessive appetite for clothes fasteners," and you provide a rhyming answer, in this case "button glutton." You're then treated to an AI-generated rendering of the goofy concept you just named. In general in the Twofer Goofer, the words are straightforward and the AI art is lovely.

But here in the Inkhorn Stinkhorn, the words are pedantic and the AI art is atrocious. Enjoy! 

Try this one today: Name a two-word rhyming phrase that means "the movement of a clumsy mountaineer attempting to scale a giant hunk of yellowish fossil resin."

Clue #1: To reveal the first letter of each word, highlight the following text… a____ c______

Clue #2: To reveal one of the words, highlight the following text… amber c______

For the answer, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. A near opposite of WANDERLUST is

A. HYGGE, a Danish word for the cozy delight of being at home.
B. JOIE DE VIVRE, a French term for the delight of living your best life.
C. SCHADENFREUDE, a German word for the delight in seeing some suffer who deserves it.

2. Moana belts out her wanderlust: "_____."

A. And the line where the sky meets the sea,
It calls me,
And no one knows
How far it goes.

B. I will carry you here in my heart;
You'll remind me
That come what may, I know the way.

C. The things you have learned will guide you.
And nothing on Earth can silence
The quiet voice still inside you.

Answers to the review questions: 1. A 2. A Answer to the game question: Amber clamber.

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.