what about

adverb

Used to make a suggestion.

“What about going to a restaurant tonight?”

Similar
how abouthow’s aboutwhat of
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Meanings

adverbwhat about (not comparable)
  1. not comparableUsed to make a suggestion.

    What about going to a restaurant tonight?

    Synonyms: how about, how’s about, what of, how about

  2. not comparableUsed to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered.

    You're obviously having a good time, but what about me?

    2 more examples

    Move to another country? What about where we’re going to live?

    ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough! […] What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything? A bootee or a bit of embroidery or anything at all?’

    1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 15, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC
  3. not comparableUsed to repeat a question but referring to a different subject or object.

    “Is John coming tomorrow?” “Yes.” “What about David?”

    1 more example

    “Do you like football?” “No.” “What about basketball?”

  4. not comparableUsed to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker.

    “Do you remember John Smith from work?” “Yeah, what about him?” “Oh, nothing. I just ran into him today.”

  5. not comparableUsed to express approval of an occurrence or a result.

    What about the second goal!

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbUsed to make a suggestion.

Similar
how abouthow’s aboutwhat ofhow about
Also see
how aboutwhat ifwhat say

Translations

Catalan què tal
  • què talused to make a suggestion
Chinese Mandarin ...怎麼樣 /...怎么样, ...怎麼樣 /...怎么样
  • ...怎麼樣 /...怎么样 (...zěnmeyàng)used to make a suggestion
  • ...怎麼樣 /...怎么样 (...zěnmeyàng)used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • ...呢used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • 呢used to repeat a question
Danish hvad med, hvad med
  • hvad medused to make a suggestion
  • hvad medused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • hvad medused to repeat a question
Dutch wat zeg je van, en
  • wat zeg je vanused to make a suggestion
  • enused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • hoe zit het metused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
Finnish entä, entäpä
  • entäused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • entäpäused to express approval
  • entäused to express approval
  • entäused to repeat a question
French et, quid
  • etused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • quidused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • qu'en est-il deused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • etused to repeat a question
  • quidused to repeat a question
German wie wär's mit, und
  • wie wär's mitused to make a suggestion
  • undused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • was ist mitused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
Hebrew מָה לְגַבֵּי, מָה עִם
  • מָה לְגַבֵּי (má legabé)used to make a suggestion
  • מָה עִם (má im)used to make a suggestion
Italian se, e
  • seused to make a suggestion
  • eused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
Japanese ...いかがですか, ...どうですか
  • ...いかがですか (...ikaga desu ka)used to make a suggestion
  • ...どうですか (...dō desu ka)used to make a suggestion
  • は (wa)used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • は (wa)used to repeat a question
Korean 어때요, 는
  • 어때요 (eottaeyo)used to make a suggestion
  • 는 (neun)used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • 는 (neun)used to repeat a question
Polish co powiesz na?, a?
  • co powiesz na?used to make a suggestion
  • a?used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • i co w związku z?used to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker
  • no proszę!used to express approval
  • a?used to repeat a question
Portuguese que tal...?, quem sabe…?
  • que tal...?used to make a suggestion
  • quem sabe…?used to make a suggestion
  • e...?used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • e sobre...?used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • e quanto a...?used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • e...?used to repeat a question
Romanian ce-ar fi dacă, dacă
  • ce-ar fi dacăused to make a suggestion
  • dacăused to make a suggestion
  • cum rămâne cuused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • darused to repeat a question
Russian что́ е́сли, как насчёт
  • что́ е́сли (štó jésli)used to make a suggestion
  • как насчёт (kak nasčót)used to make a suggestion
  • а (a)used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • а ка́к же (a kák že)used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • как насчётused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • а (a)used to repeat a question
Spanish (y) qué tal, qué de/con
  • (y) qué talused to make a suggestion
  • qué de/con (y)used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • y sobreused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • y en cuanto aused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • qué tieneused to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker
Swedish vad sägs om ..., ... då?
  • vad sägs om ...used to make a suggestion
  • ... då?used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • vad är det med ...used to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker
  • vad sägs om ... !used to express approval
  • ... då?used to repeat a question
Vietnamese còn, còn ... thì sao
  • cònused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • còn ... thì saoused to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • cònused to repeat a question
Yiddish וואָס איז מיט
  • וואָס איז מיט (vos iz mit)used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
Cite this entry
APA

what about. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20about

MLA

“what about.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20about. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “what about,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20about.

Source: what about on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.