A1preposition1K

About

UK /["/əˈbaʊt/"]/US /["/əˈbaʊt/"]/

Definition

on the subject of somebody/something; in connection with somebody/something

In simple words: Concerning or in relation to something.

Examples

  • I read a book about nature.
  • What do you know about this topic?
  • She was talking about her vacation plans.
  • The teacher asked us to write about our favorite animals.
  • He was thinking about his next steps in life.

Usage notes

Use 'about' when discussing topics or subjects. It's versatile in both spoken and written English, but informal expressions may avoid it in academic texts.

Grammar pattern

about + object

Memory hint

Think of 'about' as 'a boat' floating around topics.

Collocations

  • talk about
  • think about
  • worry about
  • know about
  • care about

Synonyms

  • regarding
  • concerning
  • on
  • in relation to
  • with respect to

Antonyms

  • away
  • beyond

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 'about' with 'around' in certain contexts.
  • Using 'about' when 'regarding' would be more formal.
  • Using 'about' in place of 'approximately' for numerical values.