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
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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
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Stray cats are all over the nation, roaming people's backyards and sometimes redistributing themselves to a new home.—
Krystal Nurse,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
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About 1,800 pandas live in the wild, roaming mountain ranges in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu, WWF says.—
Chris Lau,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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For nonmembers, who can enter at 9 a.m., the event represents a great time to wander the gardens, buy plants and seek inspiration from gardening experts.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Mar. 2025
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Let your mind wander over the prompts without judging what comes up.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The firebrand German director now blasts the cobwebs off Chekhov with boisterous, dazzling delight.—
Demetrios Matheou,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Mar. 2025
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Current Evans High boys players may not know much about Darryl Dawkins and the boisterous basketball days that left his indelible mark on the sport — and backboards.—
Buddy Collings,
Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Mar. 2025
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The outage occurred during a violent storm on the surface, which caused the ship to rapidly drift in the swells and drag the bell with it.—
Megan McCluskey,
TIME,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Stripes Everywhere Stripes are having a major design moment, proving that the lively pattern is timeless, versatile, and effortlessly chic.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Mar. 2025
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The High Kings and Mary Black Palmer Auditorium, 270 Mohegan Ave Pkwy., New London A full evening of Irish music with vocalist Mary Black, lively traditional Irish band The High Kings plus Róisín O is being presented by The Kate but held at Connecticut College’s Palmer Auditorium.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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At the end of it all, Lily Tomlin strolled out and the Oscars, sadly, had just begun.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
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Downstairs, Adrien Brody strolled in with longtime partner Georgina Chapman, while LaKeith Stanfield arrived hand in hand with his wife.—
Jamila Stewart,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn and Jay Ellis co star in this raucous LSD-like trip from two filmmakers who know this turf and that era ever so well – Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden.—
Randy Myers,
The Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2025
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In any event Marshall, a craven idiot, is a raucous, vulgar sendup of the bedrock American principle of Manifest Destiny.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20%28about%29. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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