traipse
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /trˈeɪps/
US
- /ˈtreɪps/
Description
- wander
- roam around
- walk wearily
- go from place to place
To traipse is to walk from place to place in a casual, tired, or slightly unwilling way. It often suggests that the walking takes longer than you would like, or that it feels a bit annoying or tiring. You might spend an afternoon traipsing around town looking for the right gift, or follow friends as they traipse through markets, side streets, and small shops. The word usually carries a sense of wandering rather than moving with a clear, direct purpose. It can sound light and playful in some contexts, but it often hints that the trip is wearing you out.
To traipse is to walk about or travel from one place to another in a loose, wandering way, often when the movement feels tiring, slow, or slightly bothersome. The word usually suggests more than a simple walk: there is often a sense of going here and there without much efficiency, or of continuing on foot when you would rather be done already. A family might traipse around a theme park all day, growing more tired with each stop, or a shopper might traipse from store to store without finding what they need. In other situations, the tone can be gentler and more playful, such as friends traipsing along country lanes with no strict plan.
Unlike "stroll," which sounds easy and pleasant, or "trudge," which sounds heavy and difficult, "traipse" sits somewhere in between. It often mixes casual movement with tiredness, inconvenience, or mild reluctance. People use it when someone is wandering around, covering ground, and not doing so in a brisk or efficient way. You can traipse through muddy fields, traipse around a city all afternoon, or complain about traipsing after someone else while they run errands. Overall, the word paints a small story of movement that is loose, drawn out, and just a little weary.
Examples
- 1
Shopping search
We spent the afternoon traipsing around town, looking for a shop that sold hiking boots.
- 2
Bad weather
I’m not going to traipse through the rain just to buy a loaf of bread.
- 3
Travel
After college, she traipsed around Europe for a few months with a backpack.
- 4
Courthouse scene
Reporters were traipsing in and out of the courthouse all day.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- traipseverb