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 nomad
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
Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
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
Noun
This new film is a very black comedy that is also a heist story with some bloody violence, along with a bit of knockabout slapstick and a theme of family bonds.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock (about)
Verb
-
Colorful murals adorn the interior, with communal tables and high ceilings, and the outdoors has beer-keg tables and heat lamps and lots of room for patrons — and their dogs — to roam.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
-
His beam wavered on a patch of blankness, or the corner of an amp, and then began to roam the stage in desperation, scanning here and scanning there—until, from the darkness, the voice of Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden’s singer, was heard.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 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
Noun
-
Dreadlocked yaks were dotted around the foreground and the odd cluster of nomad tents swept by colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind.—
The Editors,
Outside,
31 Aug. 2025
-
The area is home to the indigenous Sami, who were descendants of nomads who lived in North Scandinavia for thousands of years.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Her task now is simply to wander, wait and listen.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Despite its common name, this creature wasn’t simply a lion that wandered into the Americas.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Their 13th album, International, interprets the ritual of early retirement sendoff as a boisterous dance party with plenty of music royalty cameos showing up to pay their respects.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Among the latter, McElwee pays a visit to his longtime friend Charleen Swansea, who stole the show in Sherman’s March with her boisterous real-talk and raunchy humor.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After an earnings beat and a blistering 32% pop on July 30, the stock drifted lower for a month — a normal profit-taking after a vertical move.—
Nishant Pant,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
-
This means that if Solar Cycle 25 were stronger or weaker than predicted, the peak month of solar maximum would drift from this August-September 2025 prediction.—
Ryan French,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
On a sunny Tuesday morning, 35-year-old Rita Guerrero stepped out from her door on North Mariposa Street, lively pup Olive barely contained by her leash.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Zarutska worked in a lively area of the lower South End dotted with breweries, apartment complexes and coffee shops.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As a traveler, she's visited destinations such as Hawaii and Mexico, especially loving trips out in nature.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Searches for Christmas and New Year’s getaways show travelers are looking for warm international locales to escape the cold.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knock (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20%28about%29. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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