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Synonyms

whereabouts

American  
[hwair-uh-bouts, wair-] / ˈʰwɛər əˌbaʊts, ˈwɛər- /

adverb

  1. about where? where?

conjunction

  1. near or in what place.

    trying to find whereabouts in the world we were.

noun

  1. (used with a singular or plural verb) the place where a person or thing is; the locality of a person or thing.

    no clue as to his whereabouts.
whereabouts British  
/ ˈwɛərəˌbaʊts /

adverb

  1. Also: whereabout.  at what approximate location or place; where

    whereabouts are you?

  2. obsolete about or concerning which

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. (functioning as singular or plural) the place, esp the approximate place, where a person or thing is

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of whereabouts

1400–50; late Middle English wheraboutes, equivalent to Middle English wheraboute ( whereabout ) + -s -s 1

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.

The BBC has made multiple attempts to contact Stern, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

From BBC

Since released, the presenter has not been given any information about her ex-husband's whereabouts as he "has certain rights and we don't have those rights".

From BBC

The brothers’ whereabouts are unknown, according to authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

For months, Cremer's case had baffled many as initial police searches failed to lead to any clues about her whereabouts.

From BBC

As of now, the former president’s whereabouts are unknown.

From Salon

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.