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
Relevance
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
-
The legacy of the British Q-ships During World War I, more than 200 Q-ships—and perhaps as many as 400—roamed the seas.—
Sean Kingsley,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 Feb. 2025
-
As nocturnal creatures, this provides them with a comfortable space to freely roam about.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Her own straight-talking but peripatetic prose zags provocatively from Clintonian economic policy in Russia to her own eating disorder; from the gulf war to bling rap videos shot through a fish-eye lens.—
Alexandra Jacobs,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Thirty years earlier, in 1995, on the weekend before Quebec’s second referendum on independence, my family and I went to Montreal to wander the city, to try to sense what Quebeckers were feeling, but mostly just to be there.—
Ken Dryden,
The Atlantic,
23 Feb. 2025
-
This baby seal was found wandering the snowy streets of New Haven, Conn.—
The Learning Network,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Surgical services include seven operating rooms, three procedure rooms, a post-anesthesia care unit and an ambulatory care unit.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Jan. 2025
-
Several ambulatory surgery centers run by Baptist Health South Florida, including in Coral Gables, Kendall, Miami Beach, Plantation and South Miami, were also recognized for being some of the top 31 ambulatory surgery centers in the country.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
The delays have turned buyers and their families into nomads — moving from one expensive rental to another, cramming in with relatives while living out of suitcases — draining their finances and testing their marriages.—
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The soundtrack shows off Luckey’s versatility, her husky voice drifting between rock, new wave, house and adult contemporary.—
Rich Juzwiak,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2025
-
As for the content, the rest of the movie features Orsolya drifting from one encounter to another, meeting with friends and family to talk about what happened and try to unpack her feelings.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
While much of Europe shivers in the winter, Asturias enjoys mild weather, with locals strolling along beaches in winter without jackets.—
Jenn Rice,
Vogue,
12 Feb. 2025
-
But Twain liked to be able to stroll to downtown Hartford.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
For the fifth straight year, Orlando led the way for domestic travelers flying out of CLT.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Feb. 2025
-
What’s one mistake that travelers often make when visiting Champagne? Thinking that champagne is made mostly in Reims or Épernay.—
Jennifer Kester,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gad (about).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gad%20%28about%29. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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