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 gypsy
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gad (about)
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
Noun
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 gad (about)
Verb
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Stray cats are all over the nation, roaming people's backyards and sometimes redistributing themselves to a new home.—
Krystal Nurse,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
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About 1,800 pandas live in the wild, roaming mountain ranges in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu, WWF says.—
Chris Lau,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Blending biography and criticism, Plunkett shows how the circumstances of Frost’s peripatetic life gave rise to some of his most successful poems.—
Maggie Doherty,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
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Books Dorothy Parker’s Hollywood Years, In Focus Christopher J. Scalia Gail Crowther takes us on tours of the places that shaped Parker’s peripatetic times in Hollywood, where stars gathered in a decadent community.—
Daniel Foster,
National Review,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Let your mind wander over the prompts without judging what comes up.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
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For nonmembers, who can enter at 9 a.m., the event represents a great time to wander the gardens, buy plants and seek inspiration from gardening experts.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Most ambient solution implementations start in the ambulatory setting.—
David Chou,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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Health systems know that, generally, subbing inpatient care for ambulatory care is more cost-effective.—
Alexis Kayser,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The most successful nomads know how to motivate themselves.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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The new van wraps nomads in warm, homey comfort trickled down from the incomparable Venture S motorhome and equips them with a robust 5G connectivity suite and smart home-level control, seamlessly blending the worlds of work, play and just plain everyday living.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The outage occurred during a violent storm on the surface, which caused the ship to rapidly drift in the swells and drag the bell with it.—
Megan McCluskey,
TIME,
1 Mar. 2025
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Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Downstairs, Adrien Brody strolled in with longtime partner Georgina Chapman, while LaKeith Stanfield arrived hand in hand with his wife.—
Jamila Stewart,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2025
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At the end of it all, Lily Tomlin strolled out and the Oscars, sadly, had just begun.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Although Thailand is generally considered a safe destination for travelers, theft is not uncommon.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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The beverage has also made a strong presence at US airports, another setting where extra hydration would help stressed travelers.—
Andrew Watman,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gad (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gad%20%28about%29. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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