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
-
Luke Skywalker will roam Black Spire Outpost seeking knowledge of the Force and kyber crystals that power lightsabers.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Rock iguanas once roamed freely across the islands of Turks and Caicos.—
Madeline Weinfield,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
21 Sep. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
America used to be a nation of nomads.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Wind Traders, for example, are nomads who live in the sky, and their culture and lifestyle are clearly represented in their clothes.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For something more low-key, wander down to the local beach from the hotel’s beach club, stopping off for a fresh coconut along the way.—
Harriet Compston,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Cherniack said Healey, who was identified for the first time Monday, was known to wander about the premises.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
After two weeks of filming in Kansas City, the cast and crew of ended their stay in Kansas City with a boisterous wrap party in a private karaoke suite at Offkey in Westport.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Koreatown’s many casual but boisterous offerings also await.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These ancient wanderers, like comet 3I/ATLAS, are cosmic time capsules.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Spader plays Graham, an enigmatic wanderer who inserts himself into the lives of his old friend John (Peter Gallagher), his wife Ann (Andie MacDowell) and her sister Cynthia (San Giacomo), drawing out all manner of confessions and revelations.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Snowflakes drift down like tiny nets, moving slowly and exposing lots of surface area, gathering more pollutants than fast-falling raindrops.—
Isabel Lopez,
Parents,
11 Feb. 2026
-
There will be debates over whether the games have drifted too far from the original Olympian model and whether some, less-popular sports should be discarded in favor of more crowd-pleasing competitions.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Where there would once be huge lively crowds gathering in support of Hong Kong’s democracy figures, the mood was subdued and yet at the same time on edge.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
And lively neighborhoods like Myeongdong and Hongdae are hot spots for shopping, local street food, K-pop culture, and nightlife.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knock (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knock%20%28about%29. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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