Pronunciation: /əˈbaʊt/

Definitions of about

adverb used to indicate movement or action in a particular direction or manner

Example Sentences

A1 I am happy about my new toy.

A2 She is curious about the new student in class.

B1 I am thinking about buying a new car.

B2 He is passionate about helping others.

C1 I am excited about the upcoming project.

C2 She is knowledgeable about different cultures.

preposition used to indicate the object or topic of a verb, or the point in time or space at which an event occurs

Example Sentences

A1 I am thinking about my vacation.

A2 She is worried about her exam results.

B1 I read a book about ancient history.

B2 They had a discussion about the new project.

C1 The article provides detailed information about the latest research findings.

C2 The documentary raises important questions about the future of technology.

Examples of about in a Sentence

formal I would like to inquire about the status of the project.

informal Can you tell me more about what happened?

slang I heard some juicy gossip about that party.

figurative She had a lot on her mind, carrying thoughts about her past.

Grammatical Forms of about

past tense

talked

plural

abouts

comparative

more about

superlative

most about

present tense

talks

future tense

will talk

perfect tense

have talked

continuous tense

is talking

singular

about

positive degree

about

infinitive

to talk

gerund

talking

participle

talking

Origin and Evolution of about

First Known Use: 1000 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'about' originated from the Old English word 'abutan' which meant 'on the outside of' or 'around'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'about' evolved to also mean 'approximately' or 'near'. It is commonly used in modern English to indicate a rough estimate or to describe the general vicinity of something.