Abbout vs. About — Which is Correct Spelling?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 2, 2024
Abbout is an incorrect spelling; the correct form is About, pertaining to or concerning a subject.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Abbout or About
How to spell About?
Abbout
Incorrect Spelling
About
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
Remember "About" has just one "b."
Use a mnemonic: "Always Be Observant Using 'T' not two 'B's."
Visualize a circle, since "about" can mean surrounding or encircling.
Think of the phrase "about time" to recall the right spelling.
Recollect that "out" is a part of "about," and "out" doesn’t double its consonants.
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How Do You Spell About Correctly?
Incorrect: He told me all abbout his trip to Italy.
Correct: He told me all about his trip to Italy.
Incorrect: Can you tell me more abbout this book?
Correct: Can you tell me more about this book?
Incorrect: What is this movie abbout?
Correct: What is this movie about?
Incorrect: They were talking abbout the new project.
Correct: They were talking about the new project.
Incorrect: I'm not sure what she's abbout to do next.
Correct: I'm not sure what she's about to do next.
About Definitions
Approximately or nearly.
There were about fifty attendees.
Present in a place.
Is anyone about?
In different directions.
She looked about the room.
Approximately; nearly
The interview lasted about an hour.
Almost
The job is about done.
To a reversed position or direction
Turn about and walk away slowly.
In no particular direction
Wandering about with no place to go.
All around; on every side
Let's look about for help.
In the area or vicinity; near
Spoke to a few spectators standing about.
In succession; one after another
Turn about is fair play.
On the verge of doing something; presently going to do something. Used with the infinitive
The chorus is about to sing.
Usage Problem Used to show determination or intention in negative constructions with an infinitive
I am not about to concede the point.
On all sides of; surrounding
I found an English garden all about me.
In the vicinity of; around
Explored the rivers and streams about the estate.
Almost the same as; close to; near.
In reference to; relating to; concerned with
A book about snakes.
In the act or process of
While you're about it, please clean your room.
In the possession or innate character of
Keep your wits about you.
Moving here and there; astir
The patient is up and about.
Being in evidence or existence
Rumors are about concerning his resignation.
In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of.
The snake was coiled about his ankle.
Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.
Rubbish was strewn about the place.
The children were running about the room.
He was well known about town.
Indicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.
(with 'to' and verb infinitive) See about to.
On the point or verge of.
Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of; to affect.
He talked a lot about his childhood.
We must do something about this problem.
Concerned with; engaged in; intent on.
To be about one's business
Within or in the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place.
I can't find my reading glasses, but they must be somewhere about the house.
John's in the garden, probably somewhere about the woodshed.
On one's person; nearby the person.
I had no weapon about me but a stick.
(figurative) In or near, as in mental faculties or (literally) in the possession of; under the control of; at one's command; in one's makeup.
He has his wits about him.
There was an air of confidence about the woman.
On all sides; around.
I looked about at the scenery that surrounded me.
Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down.
Bits of old machinery were lying about.
From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity.
Walking about;
Rushing about;
Jumping about;
Thrashing about
Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity.
Messing about;
Fooling about;
Loafing about
Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost.
It's about as cold as it was last winter.
He owes me about three hundred dollars.
Dinner's about ready.
I was so scared, I about fainted.
Near; in the vicinity.
To a reversed order; half round; facing in the opposite direction; from a contrary point of view.
To face about;
To turn oneself about
(nautical) To the opposite tack: see go about.
We went about and headed offshore.
In succession; one after another; in the course of events.
(archaic) In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; in circumference.
A mile about, and a third of a mile across
Moving around; astir.
Out and about;
Up and about
After my bout with Guillan-Barre Syndrome, it took me 6 months to be up and about again.
In existence; being in evidence; apparent.
This idea has been about for a while but has only recently become fashionable.
Near; in the vicinity or neighbourhood.
I had my keys just a minute ago, so they must be about somewhere.
Watch out, there's a thief about.
Around; all round; on every side of.
In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one's person).
Near; not far from; - determining approximately time, size, quantity.
He went out about the third hour.
In concern with; engaged in; intent on.
I must be about my Father's business.
On the point or verge of; going; in act of.
Paul was now aboutto open his mouth.
Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching.
She must have her way about Sarah.
In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across.
Here and there; around; in one place and another.
Wandering about from house to house.
Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as high; - also of quantity, number, time.
To a reserved position; half round; in the opposite direction; on the opposite tack; as, to face about; to turn one's self about.
On the move;
Up and about
The whole town was astir over the incident
(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
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
Brought the ship about
Suddenly she turned around
In rotation or succession;
Turn about is fair play
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for `almost';
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
Relating to or concerning.
The book is about ancient civilizations.
On the verge of.
The timer is about to ring.
About Meaning in a Sentence
They whispered about the surprise party.
What's this game about?
The documentary is about endangered species.
She asked about your well-being.
I need to talk to you about your homework.
He's always been passionate about music.
Discussions about climate change are becoming more frequent.
He wrote a story about a magical forest.
I'm curious about different cultures.
It's a song about hope and resilience.
She dreams about becoming an astronaut.
This painting is about the beauty of nature.
The debate about renewable energy continues.
They raised concerns about privacy issues.
It's not about winning, but how you play the game.
Rumors about the new product are spreading.
The teacher explained the theory about gravity.
The book about ancient civilizations is fascinating.
They're making a movie about his life.
They shared stories about their childhood.
He's writing a paper about artificial intelligence.
The report about economic trends was insightful.
She teaches about the importance of biodiversity.
The lecture was about the impact of technology on society.
The conference about health and wellness was very informative.
About Idioms & Phrases
About time
Used to say that something should have happened sooner.
It's about time they fixed that road.
What about?
Asking for information concerning something.
What about your plans for the holiday?
How about?
A suggestion or inquiry about a possibility.
How about we go to the beach this weekend?
Think about
To consider or reflect on something.
Think about the consequences before you act.
Talk about
Used to emphasize the extent or degree of something.
Talk about a close game! It went into overtime.
All about
To be focused on or interested in a particular topic.
He's all about finding ways to save energy.
About to
On the verge of doing something.
She was about to leave when the phone rang.
Go about
To begin or continue to do something.
How do you go about writing a novel?
Nothing to write home about
Not very good or interesting.
The movie was okay, but nothing to write home about.
Turn about is fair play
It's fair for someone to suffer the same harm or disadvantage they have inflicted on others.
He borrowed my car and returned it with no gas. Turn about is fair play, so I did the same to him.
Common Curiosities
What is the verb form of About?
"About" does not have a verb form as it's primarily a preposition or adverb.
Which conjunction is used with About?
There isn't a specific conjunction exclusive to "About."
Why is it called About?
It derives from Old English "abūtan," meaning "on the outside of."
What is the plural form of About?
"About" remains the same; it doesn't have a plural form.
Which vowel is used before About?
The vowel before "About" can vary based on context.
Is About an adverb?
Yes, "About" can be an adverb.
Is About an abstract noun?
No, "About" is not an abstract noun.
Is About a negative or positive word?
Neutral.
What is the root word of About?
The word originates from Old English "abūtan."
What is the pronunciation of About?
Pronounced as "uh-bout."
Which preposition is used with About?
"About" itself is a preposition.
Is the word About imperative?
No, "About" is not imperative.
What is the singular form of About?
"About" doesn't differentiate between singular or plural.
Is About a noun or adjective?
"About" is primarily used as a preposition or adverb, not a noun or adjective.
Is the About term a metaphor?
No, but it can be used in metaphorical expressions.
Is the word “About” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"About" is a preposition and isn't used as a direct or indirect object.
What is another term for About?
Concerning, regarding.
How do we divide About into syllables?
A-bout.
What is a stressed syllable in About?
The second syllable, "bout."
What part of speech is About?
"About" can be a preposition or adverb.
Which article is used with About?
Both "a" and "the" can be used before nouns that "About" modifies.
Is About a vowel or consonant?
"About" is a word containing both vowels and consonants.
Is About a countable noun?
No, "About" is not a noun.
Is About a collective noun?
No, "About" is not a collective noun.
How many syllables are in About?
Two syllables.
Which determiner is used with About?
Determiners like "this," "that," "these," "those" can precede nouns which are followed by "about."
Is the word About a Gerund?
No, "About" is not a gerund.
How is About used in a sentence?
"She talked about her recent trip to Europe."
What is the opposite of About?
There isn't a direct opposite, but in certain contexts, "unrelated to" could be used.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
