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
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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
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Recent Examples of gadabout
New York Times, 5 Aug. 2021
The giggling gadabout who dies penniless.
—Cory Oldweiler, Star Tribune, 11 Dec. 2020
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
He was inundated with offers and tried to avoid being typecast as the likable gadabout.
—BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2021
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
Adjective
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
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
He was inundated with offers and tried to avoid being typecast as the likable gadabout.
—BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2021
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 gadabout
Verb
-
Four other systems roamed the Atlantic basin before Erin – Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dexter – but none were stronger than a tropical storm.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
-
The saiga antelope roams the Eurasian steppe of Central Asia.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But the study builds on existing evidence that over time, mutations in these pathogens helped strengthen the immune systems of the nomads that were among the first to get sick, while more stagnant farmers and hunter-gatherers succumbed to the new diseases.—
Christian Thorsberg,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 July 2025
-
The Rays have been nomads, calling a minor-league ballpark — Steinbrenner Field in Tampa — their temporary home this year.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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But before long, this peripatetic entrepreneur will be back at cruising altitude.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
5 July 2025
-
The Running Man production was a far more peripatetic affair, as the cast and crew moved from the Scottish city of Glasgow to Wembley Stadium, to Leavesden, and finally to Bulgaria.—
Clark Collis Updated,
EW.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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There are also shots of Slurp wandering through a Christmas carnival, Tyler hiding in what appears to be a sewer before emerging back into civilization in a cloak, and Enid nervously wielding a sword.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
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Kids and adults can take part in homesteading classes, check out a show in the 30-foot planetarium dome, participate in seasonal programming, or simply wander around the properties’ six historic buildings, including a drugstore, school, church, and cabin.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In contrast, provider-side operators like HCA Healthcare and Tenet posted strong quarters this week, benefiting from stable volumes and a growing shift toward ambulatory care.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025
-
No ambulatory patients have died after using Elevidys.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
30 July 2025
Noun
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Perillo Custom Vacations works with independent travelers to create trips from scratch—every trip is tailored to each traveler’s timeframe, interests, and budget.—
Rebecca Deurlein,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Decades of research show that employers underpay everyone from H-1B visa holders from Kerala or Lima to travelers overstaying their visa from Tegucigalpa or Fuzhou.—
Chinyere Osuji,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Large amounts of seaweed are currently drifting in Florida’s direction, but winds and currents could change.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Aug. 2025
-
More than 700 active wildfires in Canada—particularly in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta—has drifted across much of the Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, and Southwest.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Shop and stroll Pier Park’s open-air district, where flagship stores mingle with unique boutiques, live entertainment, and waterfront dining.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
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Make your way up to the college town of New Paltz and eat, shop, stroll and experience some of the most vivid, colorful foliage the East coast has to offer.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gadabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gadabout. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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