as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly
we knocked about from town to town, looking for work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in rollicking
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way
a knockabout game of football in the mud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in gypsy
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination
the book is one writer's journey of self-discovery as a restless knockabout
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of knock (about)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Adjective
Though thematically vague, thinly plotted and without a reliably sympathetic soul to cling to, the movie has a mutinous energy and an absurd, knockabout charm; even its violence is more quirky than brutal.
—Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock (about)
Verb
-
Historically, the species roamed throughout much of the Southwest through central Mexico before being nearly eradicated from the wild by the 1970s, largely due to conflicts with the livestock industry.—
Shelby Slade,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
-
The Rhône spills into the wild Camargue delta, where white horses gallop through salt marshes, flamingos strike poses in pink lagoons, and black bulls roam freely beneath the vast Provençal sky.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Joy’s jazzy, smoky version of the Marvin Gaye classic, coupled with her velvety vocals, sparked another rollicking ovation led by John who was the first to stand up.—
Gail Mitchell,
Billboard,
4 Feb. 2023
-
His setlist, a rollicking walk-down-memory-lane of solo hits, NKOTB favorites, standards, show tunes and cover songs, showcased his range as an entertainer, musical virtuoso and keen collaborator.—
Sonal Dutt,
Peoplemag,
23 Jan. 2023
Verb
-
Between all that, cosplayers wander around and fans stop to buy action figures, play video games and meet their favorite artists.—
Olivia Petty,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 July 2025
-
The clinic recommends taking actions including wearing bug spray with DEET, wearing gloves when dealing with animals that could be infected, and not allowing pets to wander around outside if located in an area that is known to have plague.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The bar queues remain orderly, the chat is boisterous, but body odour is now rife.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
At a boisterous court hearing Monday, America’s largest for-profit prison company asked a Kansas judge to reconsider whether it should be allowed to reopen its shuttered Leavenworth prison as an immigrant detention center.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
As agencies begin translating priorities into rules and funding decisions, implementation could drift into partisan favoritism.—
Paulo Carvão,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
-
After months of wavering support and signs of growing disillusionment, new polling suggests Gen Z voters are beginning to drift back toward the Democratic Party.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Yanga features the vibrant colors, lively rhythms, melodic tunes, and bold concepts of Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
18 July 2025
-
Visitors are always welcome to join the event for a lively meeting filled with camaraderie, inspiring guest speakers, and a delicious lunch.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
Shelling, also known as beachcombing, is strolling along the seashore in search of seashells.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
24 July 2025
-
Outside of the spa, stroll the Lichtentaler Allee, a famous park dotted with sculptures, rose gardens, and Belle Époque architecture.—
Sofia Markovich,
Travel + Leisure,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Colbert also announced the cancellation to his own audience on Thursday's episode of The Late Show, which was greeted with a raucous round of booing.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
18 July 2025
-
The course last hosted The Open in 2019, when Shane Lowry triumphed in front of a raucous home crowd.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20%28about%29. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share