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
-
In the Basque region of Spain, Rosenthal roams through the culinary capital of San Sebastián, devouring pintxos, impressive seafood and Txakoli wine.—
Laura Manske,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Starting Wednesday, the driverless taxis will roam more than 120 square miles of Los Angeles County, stretching from Santa Monica to downtown and from West Hollywood to Inglewood.—
Caroline Petrow-Cohen,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 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
-
So a guineafowl moving at a slow jog of 1 km/h (0.6 mph) – roughly the pace of a wandering toddler – through Alexander's formula would be estimated as 4.7 km/h (2.9 mph).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 June 2025
-
Guests are invited to wander the gardens, join sourdough baking classes, and basically geek out on where their food comes from.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
The other Jaylin Williams will be in a boisterous section with Lu Dort and the other younger Thunder players but also often parrying back and forth with his namesake and Gilgeous-Alexander.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
-
Fortunately, the board rejected the proposal at a boisterous public meeting this month.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
From the moment Voyager 1 appears on screen, floating in silence, then drifting seemingly out of the theater screen toward the audience, the stereo work adds depth and immersion without ever becoming a gimmick.—
Scott Snowden,
Space.com,
18 June 2025
-
Some critics argue General Catalyst’s industrial-scale strategy is drifting from classic venture capital.—
Sindhya Valloppillil,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
For much of the day New Haven Green was filled with a Juneteenth Village and Marketplace, including loud and lively hip-hop acts.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 June 2025
-
The small but lively crowd of 14,312 at the Rose Bowl gasped in disbelief as Deossa and his teammates celebrated what instantly became a contender for the goal of the tournament — only to be possibly upstaged by his fellow midfielder Corona nine minutes later.—
Austin Green,
New York Times,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
The surrounding streets are a pleasure to stroll, particularly the wide Corso Italia, where families gather around benches under the trees and couples peruse the boutiques’ window displays.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Barkov strolled onto the rebound with the nearest Oiler completely unescorted.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
On June 2, before a raucous audience of roughly 100 friends, family, and alums, the students graduated as actual drag performers.—
David Mack,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
-
Morocco’s Wydad gave their raucous fans a first goal of the tournament to celebrate when Thembinkosi Lorch pulled one back, which led to a flare being thrown onto the pitch and smoke engulfing much of the playing area.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20%28about%29. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share