founded about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "founded about" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly when trying to indicate the approximate time of establishment of an organization or entity. Example: "The company was founded about 1995, during a period of rapid technological advancement."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Genevieve, Mo., founded about 1735 as a river depot for lead and salt.

The New York Times - Travel

Cargese was founded about 200 yrs.

The New Yorker

It was founded about the beginning of the 18th century.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Founded about 1865, Jonesville now has $359 in the bank.

The New York Times

Hazan Imports was founded about 40 years ago by two brothers, Isaac and Ralph Hazan.

The New York Times

Gorakhpur was founded about 1400 and named for a Hindu saint.

Encyclopedia Britannica

French Guiana was built around the Cayenne settlement, founded about 1637.

Encyclopedia Britannica

And we expressed concerns that we thought were well founded about the conduct of the elections.

The New York Times

They replaced the former University of Paris, one of the archetypal European universities, founded about 1170.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Balliol College was founded about 1263, and Merton College in 1264.

Encyclopedia Britannica

According to tradition, the first Christian church in Scotland was founded about 400 by St. Ninian.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating an approximate establishment date, prefer using "founded around" or "established approximately" for better clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "founded about" as it is not standard English. Instead, use more precise language like "founded around" or "established approximately" to maintain clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "founded about" is typically intended to function as a verb phrase indicating the approximate time of establishment or origination. However, Ludwig AI suggests that this construction is not standard English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

49%

News & Media

44%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "founded about" is used to indicate an approximate time of establishment, but is considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. While it appears frequently, particularly in encyclopedic and news contexts, standard English prefers alternatives like "founded around" or "established approximately". Therefore, it's best to avoid "founded about" in formal writing to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Established around

Emphasizes approximation through the use of "around" instead of "about".

Established circa

"Circa" specifies an estimated date, providing a more formal tone.

Founded approximately

Replaces "about" with "approximately" to highlight the estimation.

Originated around

Uses "originated" to denote the start, with "around" for approximation.

Created around

Uses "created" which is a substitute for found and uses "around" for approximation.

Began around

Uses "began" which is a substitute for found and uses "around" for approximation.

Started around

Uses "started" which is a substitute for found and uses "around" for approximation.

Dates back to approximately

Specifies the approximate starting time using a different sentence structure.

Emerged around

Uses "emerged" which is a substitute for found and uses "around" for approximation.

Came into existence around

Explains the phrase by substituting the word "found" for "came into existence" and uses "around" for approximation.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something was established at an approximate time?

Instead of saying something was "founded about", it is better to say it was "founded around" or "established approximately".

Is "founded about" grammatically correct?

No, "founded about" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. Alternatives like "founded around" are preferred.

What can I say instead of "founded about" to indicate an estimated founding date?

You can use phrases like "established circa", "originated around", or "dates back to approximately".

How does using "founded around" differ from "founded about"?

"Founded around" is grammatically sound and widely accepted to indicate an approximate time of establishment, whereas "founded about" is generally considered incorrect.