wend

1 of 2

verb

wended; wending; wends

intransitive verb

: to direct one's course : travel

transitive verb

: to proceed on (one's way) : direct

Wend

2 of 2

noun

: a member of a Slavic people of eastern Germany

Examples of wend in a Sentence

Verb We wended through the narrow streets. We wended our way through the narrow streets.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
That ruling will certainly wend its way to the Supreme Court. Ron Kuby, New York Daily News, 29 Jan. 2024 Prewar inequalities wend themselves through the military like a poison, corroding combat power before a shot is even fired. Jason Lyall, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2022 Advertisement While the freeway’s fate wended through years of court and political hearings, the transportation agency rented some houses while allowing others to remain vacant and fall into disrepair. Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2024 Here, the location becomes increasingly fog-laden and soggy as this sci-fi comedy wends toward apocalyptic, psychosexual mayhem. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wend 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English wendan; akin to Old High German wenten to turn, Old English windan to twist — more at wind entry 3

Noun

German Wende, from Old High German Winida; akin to Old English Winedas, plural, Wends

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wend was before the 12th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near wend

Cite this Entry

“Wend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wend. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

wend

verb
: to go one's way : proceed
wending their way home
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!