How common is about?

963.5 occurrences per million words

Very Common
963.5/M

Used frequently in everyday speech

Frequency scale

Very RareRareUncommonCommonVery Common

Reference words

the
56.3k/M
be
22.0k/M
have
7.3k/M
time
700.0/M
house
95.0/M
cat
21.0/M
exotic
4.0/M
rare
0.500/M
about
963.5/M

Compared to similar words

↓
after
Less common · 570.2/M
Define ABOUT

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Synonyms of ABOUT

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Frequently Asked Questions

How common is the word "about"?

"ABOUT" has a frequency of 963.5 occurrences per million words of English text, placing it in the "Very Common" category. Used frequently in everyday speech.

What does occurrences per million mean?

A frequency of 963.5/M means "about" appears about 963.5 times in every million words of text — roughly once every 1,038 words.

Is a higher frequency score better?

Not necessarily — it depends on your goal. For everyday communication, high-frequency words are safer and clearer. For precise or technical writing, lower-frequency specialist words may be more accurate.