Whereabouts
/ˈwɛərəˌbaʊts/
nounadverbB2
Definition
"Whereabouts" refers to the location or place of a person or object. It is often used when the exact place is not known or when someone wants to know where someone else is. It can be used as a noun to talk about someone's location or as an adverb in questions about location.
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See It in Action
The location or place where someone or something is
- •The police asked about the suspect’s whereabouts.
- •Do you know the whereabouts of the lost dog?
- •Her whereabouts are unknown since she left the city.
Used in questions or statements about location
- •Whereabouts are you now?
- •Can you tell me your whereabouts during the meeting?
- •I’m not sure about his whereabouts at that time.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "whereabouts" like the simple word "where," but it talks about the general place or location, sometimes not exact.
- ✓Picture a map with a dot showing where someone might be, but you don’t know the exact address.
- ✓It’s the feeling when you ask a friend, "Where are you?" because you want to find them or know their location.
- ✓Sounds like "where abouts" → imagine someone asking "Where abouts are you?" to find a friend.
- ✓Imagine a detective story where the police ask about a suspect's whereabouts to find them.
- ✓NOT like "address" (which is exact), "whereabouts" is more general or unknown.
- ✓NOT like "here" or "there" (exact places), "whereabouts" is about the idea of location without specifics.
Try Other Words
- •Location: the exact place where something or someone is (Use when you want a precise place)
- •Position: the place where someone or something stands or is placed (Use in formal or technical contexts)
- •Place: a general area or spot (Use in casual speech when exact details are not important)
- •Area: a larger space or region (Use when the location is broad or not specific)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "where" (question about place) + "abouts" (a form related to "about," meaning around or near)
- •Etymology: From Old English "hwær" (where) combined with "about" to mean roughly "around where"
- •Historical development: Used since the 1500s to ask or talk about someone's or something's location, often when exact place is unknown
- •Modern usage: Common in spoken and written English to discuss or ask about general location, especially when exact details are missing
Reflect & Connect
•How does the word "whereabouts" help us talk about places when we don’t know exact details?
•Can "whereabouts" be used in both formal and informal situations? When might it sound more natural?
Fill in the blanks
1.The police asked about the suspect’s whereabouts because they didn’t know ___ he was hiding.
2.She refused to tell her exact whereabouts, keeping her location ___.
3.When friends lose contact, they often ask about each other’s whereabouts to ___ them.
4.Unlike an exact address, whereabouts gives a ___ idea of where someone might be.
5.In the meeting, no one knew the manager’s whereabouts, so they ___ waiting for him.
6.The report mentioned the general whereabouts of the missing hikers but not their ___ location.
7.When someone says, "Whereabouts are you?" they want to know ___ you are without needing the full address.