what about

idiom

1

: does that include (someone) : how about (someone)

"We're all going to the beach." "What about Kenny?"

2

: how does that affect (someone or something) : what should be done about (someone or something)

"I need to leave—something has come up." "What about the meeting?" "We'll have to reschedule it."

What about the people who can't afford health insurance?

3

—used to make a suggestion about what could be done

We'll need to talk about this again. What about (meeting) next week?

There's still time. What about playing another game?

4

—used to ask someone to tell one something in response to the thing that one has just said

I like skiing and hiking. What about you? What sports do you like?

Everyone else is coming. What about you?

Examples of what about in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But what about Loáisiga, who doesn’t have an obvious counterpart for a corresponding move? —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2025

But what about when four, five, or even six planets are visible? —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025

And what about a spot in the lineup for Gonzalo García, a classic striker from the academy? —Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

And what about when the playoff field expanded to 12 teams last season? —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for what about

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout