I suppose it's different when you think about it over the long term.
Source: tatoeba (1306)
About
/əˈbaʊt/
Synonyms for "about" (307 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (10)
Strong matches (15)
Adverb(3 words)
Preposition(2 words)
Preposition(1 words)
Adjective(1 words)
angular velocity of planets
Verb(1 words)
appear on screen
Related words (25)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: a lot of homework, about origin rotation phrase, again, against, aimlessly.
- Sentence evidence is available for about, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "about".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "about"
Keep "about" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "about" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "about", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "about" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
5 entriesMore specific
12 entriesCollocations
15 entriesabout a dozenabout animalsabout fiveabout halfabout healthabout mathabout sixabout sportsabout tenabout the houseabout the sameabout timeabout townabout twentyabout-face
Derivations
1 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
12 translations across 11 languages.
Danish
1 entries- omkring adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Dutch
2 entries- in tegenovergestelde richting adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
- om- adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Esperanto
1 entries- returnen adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Finnish
1 entries- ympäri adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Korean
1 entries- 거꾸로 adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Macedonian
1 entries- о́братно adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Old English
1 entries- wiþersīnes adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Polish
1 entries- wstecz adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Russian
1 entries- обра́тно adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Slovene
1 entries- o adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Tamil
1 entries- சுற்று adv (to a reversed order, or opposite direction)
Sample sentences
134 total sentences available.
Most people write about their daily life.
Source: tatoeba (1364)
I think I have a theory about that.
Source: tatoeba (1378)
You wanted to tell me about freedom?
Source: tatoeba (1410)
Showing 4 of 134 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "about"?
Closest matches include a lot of homework, about origin rotation phrase, again, against, aimlessly.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "about"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.