English Meaning & Definitions
On the subject of; concerning.
- “We were talking about the new project.”
- “She wrote a book about her travels in Asia.”
Approximately; roughly in quantity, time, or degree.
- “The ticket costs about twenty dollars.”
- “It is about time you arrived.”
In every direction or on all sides; around.
- “She looked about nervously.”
- “There were papers scattered all about.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “about”.
Late Old English 'on būtan', meaning 'on the outside of' or 'around', combining 'on' (in, on) and 'būtan' (outside, from be- 'by' + ūtan 'out'). Over time, the meaning shifted from physical spatial position ('surrounding') to approximate value and general subject matter.
Think of a 'bout' (a match or round), and you are 'about' (around or near) the ring.
Frequently Asked Questions About “about”
1. What is the meaning of “about” in English?
In English, about (preposition) is defined as: “On the subject of; concerning.”.
2. How do you use “about” in a sentence?
“We were talking about the new project.”
3. What are English synonyms of “about”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “about”?
Late Old English 'on būtan', meaning 'on the outside of' or 'around', combining 'on' (in, on) and 'būtan' (outside, from be- 'by' + ūtan 'out'). Over time, the meaning shifted from physical spatial position ('surrounding') to approximate value and general subject matter.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.