# move around

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/move-around
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to go from one place to another or to change your position often. You use this when you do not want to stay in one spot for a long time.

For teachers: To travel or change location frequently; to be physically active or mobile rather than stationary. This phrasal verb is typically intransitive in this sense.

## Examples

- It is healthy to move around for a few minutes every hour.
- Having lived in six different countries, she is very used to moving around and starting over.
- While some species remain in a single territory, others move around constantly to exploit fluctuating food resources across the tundra.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I am moving around to a new house next week." but "I am moving to a new house next week." — 'Move around' implies frequent or continuous motion, whereas 'move' is used for a single change of residence.

## Usage notes

- Usually functions as an intransitive verb to describe general physical activity or frequent travel.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'move' to show that 'move around' suggests multiple changes of position or a lack of a fixed destination.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.