about to
Idioms-
Ready to, on the verge of, as in I was about to leave when it began to rain , or He hasn't finished yet but he's about to . This usage was first recorded in Miles Coverdale's 1535 translation of the Bible (Joshua 18:8).
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not about to . Having no intention of doing something, as in The shop steward was not about to cross the picket line , or Are you staying longer?—No, I'm not about to . [ Colloquial ; first half of 1900s]
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.
Despite injuries and a slump from their stars, the two-time defending World Series champions reached the All-Star break with MLB’s best record—and they’re about to get even better.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Things are about to get a lot more Cheetahlicious.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
The day Contreras got the shocking news, at a routine immigration hearing, he said officials laughed when he asked for a stay extension because his wife was about to have their first child.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
All we’re really talking about, to be honest, is the IP, the access to the DNS server for Infowars.com, and some possible footage and archive stuff.
From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2026
I’m about to spout off until an echo of Gramma Liz’s raspy voice reminds me to take it easy on my cousin.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
