as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly
he gads about town every Saturday, flirting and gossiping with various shopkeepers and locals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in nomad
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination
she was a thoughtful gadabout, always picking up souvenirs for her friends from wherever her travels took her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in peripatetic
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of gad (about)
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2023
For those of us who won’t be joining in the sybaritic excursion, Matches is bringing the Riviera gadabout vibes to all with capsule collections of women’s, men’s and home products curated by Sciò and Rabensteiner.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 5 May 2022
But a linesman stepped in and prevented the gadabout angler from bringing in the catch.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Nov. 2021
Hardly the schedule of a social gadabout.
—New York Times, 5 Aug. 2021
The giggling gadabout who dies penniless.
—Cory Oldweiler, Star Tribune, 11 Dec. 2020
Writer, comedian, and social gadabout Lucas Murphy sits down with friends and contemporaries to solve the New York Times crossword puzzle.
—Savannah Eadens, The Courier-Journal, 20 Apr. 2020
So, a solar charging system fits perfectly with your gadabout persona.
—The Editors, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2020
Noun
The wild career of David Johansen — New York Dolls frontman, punk gadabout, occasional actor, and Buster Poindexter portrayer — will be the focus of an upcoming documentary co-directed by Martin Scorsese.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2023
For those of us who won’t be joining in the sybaritic excursion, Matches is bringing the Riviera gadabout vibes to all with capsule collections of women’s, men’s and home products curated by Sciò and Rabensteiner.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 5 May 2022
But a linesman stepped in and prevented the gadabout angler from bringing in the catch.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Nov. 2021
Hardly the schedule of a social gadabout.
—New York Times, 5 Aug. 2021
The giggling gadabout who dies penniless.
—Cory Oldweiler, Star Tribune, 11 Dec. 2020
Writer, comedian, and social gadabout Lucas Murphy sits down with friends and contemporaries to solve the New York Times crossword puzzle.
—Savannah Eadens, The Courier-Journal, 20 Apr. 2020
So, a solar charging system fits perfectly with your gadabout persona.
—The Editors, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gad (about)
Verb
-
Federal agents are currently roaming cities under the ruse of going after murderers and rapists but are instead pulling anyone who doesn't fit their idea of what an American looks like out of cars, homes and schools using thuggish methods.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Instead, Berke urged the commission to eliminate the practice of allowing customers to roam the street with cocktails in hand.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
However, the wheels are just intended for minor on-site movements, not for towing on a public road, so this isn't a good choice for would-be nomads.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Best Hotels & Resorts Nomad Hotel Dieter Roelen and Monica Mascaros, the husband-and-wife duo behind Nomad Hotel, spent 20 years living like nomads and traveling around the world.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Ghirelli, 45, has had a peripatetic career.—
Giacomo Tognini,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Skye and Billy’s progenitors, by contrast, are revealed to have been free-spirited and independent-minded people who simply left out lots of their complicated, peripatetic story.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Still, much of the time Froud was content, wandering the set after just learning to walk, unfazed by the elaborate production around him.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
That morning, in a new suburb of Glendale, three-year-old Kelly Keen wandered, unattended, out of her house and into the driveway.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Located about 30 minutes south of Palm Beach and just over an hour north of Miami, Delray Beach has become one of South Florida’s most appealing destinations for travelers who want easy beach access without giving up good food, culture, or walkability.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
-
But many travelers have deeper needs to be met.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The reality is that a motivated and ambulatory Jimmy Butler contributes more than any of those three.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Medicare’s payment disparities distort those decisions by rewarding hospitals simply for being hospitals, regardless of whether a service could be delivered just as well — or better — in a physician office or ambulatory surgery center.—
Tomas J. Philipson,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This Victorian town of just over 2,000 is a diverse blend of artists, spiritual seekers, motorcyclists, weekend wanderers, and retirees.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Voice like a warm porchlight left on for wanderers who kissed goodbye too soon or stayed too long.—
Alex Abramovich,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The sun won’t rise before seven thirty, Camilla thought, as her gaze drifted bitterly over the nearby rooftops and domed churches in the distance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
There will be some blowing and drifting snow throughout the day on Monday, complicating travel and snow removal.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gad (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gad%20%28about%29. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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