knock (about) 1 of 3

verb

Definition of knock (about)next
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

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knockabout

2 of 3

adjective

ˈnäk-ə-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce knockabout (audio)
as in rollicking
being rough or noisy in a high-spirited way a knockabout game of football in the mud

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

knockabout

3 of 3

noun

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

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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)
Adjective
The style is almost knockabout, with a color palette reminiscent of Coralie Fargeat, but quickly evolves into its own thing with the arrival of Taquin as Margot, a medical student at a nearby hospital. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 May 2026 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
But the knockabout violence has the effect of steamrolling the wit. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 June 2026 Seeing a knockabout comedy set outdoors is a whole different barrel of laughs. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026 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)
  1. roam
  2. rollicking
  3. nomad
  4. wander
  5. boisterous
  6. wanderer
  7. drift
  8. raucous
Verb
  • For millions of years, Pacific mastodons — huge, hairy relatives of modern elephants — roamed a vast and lush range that included California, Oregon, the northern Rocky Mountains and parts of Mexico.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The coyote, known to neighbors as Wendy, roamed a Studio City neighborhood for about a year with an extremely swollen face before wildlife and animal rescue groups captured her last week.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of roam
Adjective
  • Murphy then appeared on stage to a rollicking standing ovation and made his way to his place at the dais toward the back of the room.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Those self-aware lyrics are paired with breezy melody and a gently rollicking rhythm, making this feel like a freewheeling summertime favorite.
    — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2026
Definition of rollicking
Noun
  • On the side streets, small stands sell bad food and plastic trinkets, while a few Travellers, Ireland’s indigenous nomads, work rival fortune-telling franchises.
    — Susan Neiman, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Jason and his family are living like multiversal nomads, traveling to different worlds in search of a home, and this lets the show get into the nitty-gritty of how the box works and the rules for traveling between worlds.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of nomad
Verb
  • About an hour later, the hikers called the sheriff’s office for directions but eventually wandered off the Clear Creek Route and into Mud Creek Canyon.
    — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Outside, addicts wander peg-legged in the pulverizing triple-digit late summer heat, past attorneys in cream sport coats and copper-red ties.
    — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of wander
Adjective
  • The tables are packed tightly together, ensuring a boisterous, convivial atmosphere.
    — Laura Itzkowitz, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • For months, boisterous fellows at Angels Stadium peeled off their shirts and begged Moreno to sell.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of boisterous
Noun
  • Connecting with this odd population of wanderers is one of the surprise pleasures of our annual Bishop trip.
    — Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026
  • My eight women are divided into wanderers, rebels, explorers, and mentors.
    — Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of wanderer
Verb
  • The Rams did secure one interception on Purdy, when Quentin Lake drifted back into zone and Purdy tried to force a ball to Evans and threw it right at Lake.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The impact jostled loose a few petals before the circle of blossoms slowly drifted away on the luminescent blue Bermudian swells.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of drift
Adjective
  • As was the raucous song of the small-block two feet from my spine, but that part is probably the least surprising of all.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
  • With the help of a few martinis and flutes of champagne, the raucous lineup of friends, muses, and confidantes sat still long enough to take the portrait accompanying this story.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of raucous

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knock
knock (about)
knockabout
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Cite this Entry

“Knock (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20%28about%29. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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