whereabouts

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'whereabouts' is correct and usable in written English.
It is mainly used as an adverb to refer to the place where someone or something is located without giving an exact location. For example: "We don't know his exact address, but we know his general whereabouts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Their whereabouts remain unknown.

The Guardian

His whereabouts are unknown.

The New York Times

This is the first time the government has admitted the boat's existence after both Morrison and the Australian prime minister repeatedly refused to comment on its whereabouts, citing national security interests under Australia's hardline military-led border regime.

The Guardian

It was the first time the government had admitted the boat existed, after Morrison and Abbott repeatedly refused to comment on its whereabouts.

The Guardian

It was the first time the government had admitted the boat's existence after refusing to comment on its whereabouts for more than two weeks.

The Guardian

At Homan Square, a nondescript warehouse on the city's west side, police arrest or detain people for hours without booking or otherwise posting public notifications of their whereabouts, preventing their relatives knowing where they are.

The Guardian

His whereabouts are currently unknown, although there have been claims that he was last seen in Bani Walid, south of Tripoli.

The Guardian - Opinion

First, Jack Dorsey floated the notion of updating friends on one's whereabouts, while Noah Glass championed it and gave the application its name, then Biz Stone was asked to help with building the program by a still-reluctant Evan Williams.

The Guardian - Opinion

Perez is now the 13th person the Guardian has interviewed since February who has described being taken by police to a warehouse on Chicago's west side; kept without a record of his whereabouts available to the public; and shackled for hours or even days without access to a lawyer.

The Guardian

In addition, he is still trying to discover the whereabouts of Hangfire, The Bombinating Beast and Ellington Feint.

The Guardian

But there was no question of any indiscreet inquiries into his whereabouts being conducted as long as hostages' lives remained at risk.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "whereabouts" when you don't know the precise location but have a general idea or area in mind.

Common error

Avoid using "whereabouts" in direct questions without auxiliary verbs (e.g., "Whereabouts you live?"). Instead, use "Whereabouts do you live?"

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "whereabouts" is as a noun, referring to a place or location. It can also function as an adverb, typically in questions. Ludwig AI confirms this, providing numerous examples of both usages.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "whereabouts" functions primarily as a noun to indicate a general location or as an adverb in questions about location. It is grammatically correct and frequently used, especially in news media as shown by Ludwig. While precise locations can be indicated with other terms, "whereabouts" is useful when only a general area is known. Common errors include using it in direct questions without auxiliary verbs. Related phrases include "location", "position", and "locale", each offering subtle differences in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

location

Focuses on a specific point or area rather than a general vicinity.

position

Emphasizes the arrangement or placement in relation to other things.

site

Refers to the place where something is, was, or will be located.

situation

Indicates a place and the conditions existing there.

locale

Implies a specific place with distinctive local characteristics or events.

vicinity

Refers to the area near or surrounding a particular place.

precise location

Highlights the need for an exact and accurate placement.

exact location

Like "precise location", this emphasizes the pinpoint accuracy of placement.

general location

Indicates an estimated or approximate area.

approximate location

Similar to "general location", but suggests it may not be entirely correct.

FAQs

How do I use "whereabouts" in a sentence?

"Whereabouts" can be used as a noun to refer to someone's location, as in "The police are investigating his whereabouts". It can also function adverbially, such as in the question "Whereabouts do you live?"

What are some alternatives to using "whereabouts"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "location", "position", or "locale" instead of "whereabouts".

Is it correct to say "I don't know his whereabouts"?

Yes, "I don't know his whereabouts" is grammatically correct. "Whereabouts" functions as a noun in this sentence, referring to the place where he is.

What's the difference between "whereabouts" and "location"?

"Location" typically refers to a specific point or address, while "whereabouts" implies a more general area or vicinity. You might know someone's "location" is Paris, but their exact "whereabouts" within the city could be unknown.