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

Oh, and what about Kaminetzky, the IT consultant from New York? —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

And what about adding another ex-Illini in Chicago? —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025

While you might be used to traditional methods like smoking, baking, or slow-cooking, what about boiling ribs before finishing them on the grill? —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 23 June 2025

But what about children in families that have little or no wealth to hand down? —John Cassidy, New Yorker, 16 June 2025

Rhymes for what about

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