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
-
Bison roam freely, wild horses graze on ridges, and entire prairie dog towns pop up along the roadside.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The attraction once let families see free-roaming lions from the safety of their Chevy Impalas and Ford Fairlanes.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Emerging cities worth watching Tbilisi, Georgia has become a big hit for nomads looking for affordability and a fascinating culture.—
Taylor Haught,
Sacbee.com,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Kevin Costner stars as the Mariner, a nomad with a boat and a talent for defending himself against the gangs that travel the seas, raiding local communities.—
Lia Beck,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
This logical argument can be traced back from before the introduction of Powerball to at least Theophrastus, a member of Aristotle’s peripatetic school in the 3rd century BCE.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Cope White, a cheerful Texan raised by a peripatetic single mother, joined the Marines with his straight best friend.—
Bob Morris,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Rio has several bairros, or neighborhoods, but Barros prefers to wander the winding streets of the bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood, a hilly district with an artistic vibe, colonial architecture, and panoramic views of the city.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Kyle MacLachlan was wandering around the Paramour Estate in Silver Lake, the lavish former home of silent film star Antonio Moreno and his wife and oil heiress Daisey Canfield last night.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But travelers could still see flight cuts even if the government were to reopen next week, as the FAA’s order requires airlines to cancel flights days in advance.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The airlines are alerting travelers about cancellations, too.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Some of the new services offered in South County include electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, ambulatory monitoring patches that track heart rhythm and treadmill stress tests.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The new Lakewood offices will open in January, but the Westminster project, which will add an urgent care facility and ambulatory surgery center, won’t wrap up until 2028.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Adventure guides the ninth sign's spirit; these wanderers are not afraid to take risks.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Stargazers hoping to catch a glimpse of C/2025 R2 (SWAN) should read our roundups of the best binoculars and telescopes for viewing the night sky, while those looking to image the wanderer should read our guide to imaging a solar system comet with a DSLR camera.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
News consumers drift toward outlets that favor their politics, giving them a partial view of possible wrongdoing.—
Brandon Rottinghaus,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
When next year came, Rice was in the NBA, and gradually the players drifted separate ways.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gad (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gad%20%28about%29. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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