Mosey
verbBase mosey · Past moseyed · Past Participle moseyed · Present Participle moseying · 3rd person moseys
Definition
1. (verb) To walk somewhere slowly and casually, with no sense of urgency — to stroll or wander in a relaxed way.
Context Alive
It's Sunday morning and you have absolutely nothing planned. You make a coffee, put your shoes on, and mosey down to the corner shop for a newspaper. No rush, no purpose — just a slow walk in the morning sun with nowhere to be.
Meanings
1 meanings 1 To Walk Slowly and Casually (Verb) Common ▼
This meaning is about moving at a relaxed, unhurried pace — walking with no urgency and no particular destination in mind. Imagine finishing dinner at a friend's house and saying "I think I'll mosey on home" — you're not rushing, you're just drifting in that direction whenever you feel ready. This is describing movement that is slow, easy, and completely without stress. You might say "we moseyed around the market for an hour" to describe a leisurely walk through the stalls with no shopping list, or someone could say "he moseyed over to the bar and ordered a drink" to paint a picture of someone moving casually and confidently. Or think about a lazy afternoon at a park — you mosey along the path, stopping to look at things, in no hurry to get anywhere. The word feels warm, laid-back, and slightly old-fashioned.
✏️ Mosey is informal and has a slightly American or Western feel — it's the kind of word you'd hear in a cowboy film. Mosey along, mosey on over, and mosey on down are the most common combinations. It's always positive or neutral — you wouldn't mosey somewhere in a panic. The word paints a picture of someone who has all the time in the world.
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
mosey + direction (over / along / down) → to walk slowly in a particular direction
He moseyed over to the counter and asked for a coffee.
mosey around + place → to wander through a place with no fixed plan
We spent the afternoon moseying around the old town.
mosey on home / back → to head home or return somewhere in a relaxed, unhurried way
It's getting late — I think I'll mosey on home.
Common Structures
mosey on over (to) → to walk over to someone or something casually
She moseyed on over to the group and joined the conversation.
just mosey → emphasises the lack of urgency — doing it without a care
Don't rush — just mosey down when you're ready.
mosey through + place → to move through a space slowly and without purpose
They moseyed through the gallery, stopping at whatever caught their eye.
Collocations
10 collocationsmosey along
to walk at a slow, relaxed pace in a general direction
mosey on over
to walk over to someone or something casually
mosey on home
to head home without any rush
mosey around
to wander through a place with no plan or urgency
mosey down to
to walk down to a nearby place in a relaxed way
mosey through
to move slowly through a space, often browsing or looking around
mosey on back
to return somewhere in a casual, unhurried manner
mosey into
to walk into a place casually and without announcement
just mosey
used to emphasise the total lack of urgency
mosey up to
to approach someone or something in a relaxed, confident way
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
We moseyed along the beach for an hour, just enjoying the sunset.
We strolled slowly along the shore for an hour, taking in the evening light.
2
He moseyed on over to the bar and ordered a whisky like he had all the time in the world.
He walked casually to the bar and asked for a whisky, completely unhurried.
3
It's getting dark — I should probably mosey on home.
The light's fading — I suppose I'll start heading back at some point.
4
She moseyed around the market, picking up fruit and chatting to the vendors.
She wandered through the market at her own pace, buying bits and talking to the sellers.
5
Don't rush — just mosey down whenever you're ready.
There's no hurry — come down in your own time.
6
The dog moseyed across the garden and flopped down in the shade.
The dog wandered lazily through the garden and collapsed in a shady spot.
7
We moseyed through the old town, stopping at every café that looked interesting.
We drifted through the old streets, popping into any café that caught our eye.
8
He moseyed into the office twenty minutes late without a care in the world.
He strolled into work twenty minutes behind schedule, completely unbothered.
9
After lunch we moseyed down to the river and sat on the bank for a while.
Once we'd eaten, we took a slow walk to the river and sat by the water.
10
She moseyed up to the reception desk and asked if there were any rooms available.
She walked up to the front desk without any rush and asked about room availability.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsstroll
the closest equivalent — a relaxed, leisurely walk, but slightly more purposeful than mosey
wander
similar lack of direction, but can imply being lost — mosey is always deliberate in its casualness
amble
a slow, easy walk — very close in tone but slightly more formal than mosey
Antonymsrush
to move fast with urgency — the exact opposite of mosey's relaxed pace
dash
to run quickly to get somewhere — no casualness at all
hurry
to move fast because time is short — mosey implies time is never short