at about

Idioms

At approximately, as in We'll start at about nine. This phrase, most often used with respect to time (as at about four o'clock), is sometimes criticized for being redundant. Although one of the two words sometimes can be omitted without changing the meaning—for example, About four o'clock is when most guests will arrive —in other instances both are needed, as in This stock is now selling at about its original offering price. [Early 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, ended last week at about $67 a barrel, up 16% this year and 21% from the 52-week low.

From Barron's

Then, at about midnight—just a few hours before the first coordinated attacks across Iran—odds started rising sharply, from under 25% to more than 50%.

From The Wall Street Journal

Devon and Cornwall Police said officers were called to the airfield near Honiton at about 13:00 GMT on Saturday.

From BBC

Four days later, police gave a list of sightings, outlining how the pair had left Holly's house at about 17:00 BST.

From BBC

And the San Rafael hilltop home, valued at about $281,500 in 1985, is now worth an estimated $1.8 million.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023