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.
—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.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for knock (about)
Verb
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Plucked off the staff of then-Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, who is currently in Atlanta with the Hawks, Skeeter is someone Hornets fans see roaming in front of Charlotte’s bench quite often.—
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More than 200 years ago, bison roamed freely across Illinois, but as the industrial revolution reshaped the landscape, the bison disappeared.—
Adjective
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His lightning guitar work — alongside a mandolinist, fiddler, upright-bassist and banjo player who are not too shabby on their respective strings themselves — delivered a rollicking half-hour that gave the fans in the bleachers plenty to dance to.—
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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.—
Noun
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Emerging cities worth watching Tbilisi, Georgia has become a big hit for nomads looking for affordability and a fascinating culture.—
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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.—
Verb
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Still, much of the time Froud was content, wandering the set after just learning to walk, unfazed by the elaborate production around him.—
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That morning, in a new suburb of Glendale, three-year-old Kelly Keen wandered, unattended, out of her house and into the driveway.—
Adjective
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Cucinelli, speaking in boisterous Italian through a translator, recalls with a booming laugh.—
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There was also a boisterous celebration in Cleveland's locker room after the game.—
Noun
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Voice like a warm porchlight left on for wanderers who kissed goodbye too soon or stayed too long.—
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Comets are famous for making brief, dramatic appearances in our skies, but one icy wanderer just received an unprecedented level of attention from one of NASA's newest spacecraft.—
Verb
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News consumers drift toward outlets that favor their politics, giving them a partial view of possible wrongdoing.—
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When next year came, Rice was in the NBA, and gradually the players drifted separate ways.—
Adjective
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Chabada For a livelier scene, head to the main drag along Platja de l’Arenal to find Chabada.—
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The style throughout, irrespective of category, is lively without being hectic, a pleasing postmodern blend of contemporary, midcentury, and roughly Victorian elements.—
Cite this Entry
“Knock (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20%28about%29. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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