Vagrant is a word with two related but different senses. As a noun, it usually means a person who wandersmoves from place to place without a fixed destination from place to place without a permanentlasting for a long time and not expected to change home. As an adjective, it describes someone or something that is unsettlednot stable, calm, or firmly established, drifting, or constantly changing.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈveɪɡrənt/
Easy pronunciation: VAY-grənt (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable: VAY-.
Used here as the noun meaning a homeless wanderer.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Vagrant Meaning
a homeless wanderer
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a person who wanders from place to place without a permanent home or steady way to support themselves
Example: The police found a vagrant sleeping in the park.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- drifter — Works well for a person who wanders without settling down.
- vagabond — A close synonym for a wandering person, though slightly literary.
- clochard — Used for a homeless vagrant, especially in French usage; less common in everyday English.
- floater — Can fit this sense, but is less precise and more informal.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Vagrant
Meaning 2
constantly moving or unsettled
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: continually changing, especially from one home, job, or situation to another
Example: They were part of the vagrant youth culture of the 1960s.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- drifting — Works well for someone or something moving without a fixed direction.
- floating — Can work in this sense, though it is more general and less exact.
- aimless — Fits the idea of lacking purpose, but is not always a perfect substitute.
- vagabond — Sometimes used adjectivally in this sense, but is less common and more literary.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Vagrant Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- drifter
- vagabond
- clochard
adjective: continually changing or unsettled
- drifting
- floating
- aimless
- vagabond
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse vagrant the noun with the adjective sense.
- Vagrant usually refers to a person; it does not simply mean 'strange' or 'eccentric'.
- Vagrant as an adjective is about movement or instability, not about being fashionable or casual.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does vagrant mean?
Vagrant usually means a person who wanders from place to place without a permanent home. It can also be an adjective meaning unsettled or constantly changing.
What is a synonym for vagrant?
For the noun, common synonyms include drifter and vagabond. For the adjective, synonyms include drifting and floating.
Is vagrant always negative?
Often, yes. In modern English it can sound negative or imply homelessness and instability, though the adjective use can be more descriptive than insulting.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.