about
She wrote a book about climate change.
The book discusses climate change as its main topic.
on the subject of; concerning
What is this movie about?
What topic does this movie discuss?
I need to talk to you about your project.
I need to discuss your project with you.
Used to introduce the topic of a conversation, text, or discussion.
approximately; roughly
The meeting starts at about 3 PM.
The meeting starts around 3 PM.
There were about 50 people at the event.
The number of people at the event was close to 50.
Used to indicate an estimate or approximation.
in the vicinity of; near
She lives somewhere about the park.
She lives near the park.
Less common in modern usage; often replaced by 'around' or 'near'.
in the process of doing something
I'm about to leave.
I am in the process of leaving.
Used to indicate imminent action.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Preposition vs. Adverb
'About' as a preposition (e.g., 'a book about history') introduces the topic, while as an adverb it often indicates approximation (e.g., 'about 10 people').
Gold Rule
Avoid Redundancy
Avoid using 'about' with words like 'approximately' or 'around' unless emphasizing approximation (e.g., 'about approximately 10 people' is redundant).
Word Origin
Middle English (in the sense 'in a circle'): from Old English abūtan 'on all sides' (see abound), influenced by the phrase to be about 'to be occupied with'.
Usage Notes
The word 'about' is extremely versatile and can function as a preposition, adverb, or adjective depending on context. It is often confused with 'around' in American English, though 'about' implies a closer approximation or more precise location.