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walkabout

American  
[wawk-uh-baut] / ˈwɔk əˌbaʊt /

noun

  1. Chiefly British.

    1. a walking tour.

    2. an informal public stroll taken by members of the royal family or by a political figure for the purpose of greeting and being seen by the public.

  2. Australian.

    1. a brief, informal leave from work, taken by an Aboriginal person to wander the bush, visit relatives, or return to Native life.

    2. absence from work.


walkabout British  
/ ˈwɔːkəˌbaʊt /

noun

  1. a periodic nomadic excursion into the Australian bush made by a native Australian

  2. a walking tour

  3. an occasion when celebrities, royalty, etc, walk among and meet the public

    1. to wander through the bush

    2. informal to be lost or misplaced

    3. informal to lose one's concentration

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of walkabout

First recorded in 1905–10; noun use of verb phrase walk about


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Kruglov had worked as a fiber optics cable installer in New York, but a little over a year ago, he left the city to embark on a walkabout.

From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2025

The King also looked pleased, standing outside the Senate, holding a quick walkabout while a motorcade of oversized black cars was waiting to drive him away.

From BBC ● May 27, 2025

The route: Sip your morning coffee as you watch some of the best surfing along the 200-mile SoCal Coast walkabout, with experts farther out catching waves up to 10 to 15 feet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024

MLS claimed that the creature’s 2-minute, 41-second walkabout broke a league record for on-pitch animal freedom.

From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2024

When I panic, my mind starts to go on walkabout, but I need to be here.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

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