About Definition
about
adverb
- (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct; "lasted approximately an hour"; "in just about a minute"; "he's about 30 years old"; "I've had about all I can stand"; "we meet about once a month"; "some forty people came"; "weighs around a hundred pounds"; "roughly $3,000"; "holds 3 gallons, more or less"; "20 or so people were at the party"
- all around or on all sides; "dirty clothes lying around (or about)"; "let's look about for help"; "There were trees growing all around"; "she looked around her"
- in the area or vicinity; "a few spectators standing about"; "hanging around"; "waited around for the next flight"
- used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction; "wandering about with no place to go"; "people were rushing about"; "news gets around (or about)"; "traveled around in Asia"; "he needs advice from someone who's been around"; "she sleeps around"
- in or to a reversed position or direction; "about face"; "suddenly she turned around"
- in rotation or succession; "turn about is fair play"
- (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly fainted"; "talked for nigh onto 2 hours"; "the recording is well-nigh perfect"; "virtually all the parties signed the contract"; "I was near exhausted by the run"; "most everyone agrees"
adjective
- on the move; "up and about"; "the whole town was astir over the incident"
"About" in song lyrics
See how about is used in real songs:
-
"We got to show these muthafuckas what the Sco be about"
11/5 — Blockstyle Murderah -
"Tell him what we talked about"
1.4.0. Productions f/ Molly-Q, Shawn Wigs — Poisonous Poets -
"time is bread, that's what I'm about"
1st Infantry f/ Prodigy, Alchemist, Twin & Evidence — Fourth of July
Words that rhyme with about
Usage tips for "about"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "about" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for about to find words that pair well.