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whataboutism
[ hwuht-uh-bou-tiz-uhm, wuht‐, hwot‐, wot‐ ]
/ ˌʰwʌt əˈbaʊ tɪz əm, ˌwʌt‐, ˌʰwɒt‐, ˌwɒt‐ /
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noun
a conversational tactic in which a person responds to an argument or attack by changing the subject to focus on someone else’s misconduct, implying that all criticism is invalid because no one is completely blameless: Excusing your mistakes with whataboutism is not the same as defending your record.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of whataboutism
First recorded in 1975–80; from the phrase what about? + -ism
Words nearby whataboutism
wharves, what, whata, what about, whataboutery, whataboutism, what'd, what-do-you-call-it, what do you know, what do you take me for?, whate'er
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use whataboutism in a sentence
I mean, I understand your aversion to whataboutism, which strikes me has been a growing scourge because no one believes anything at all, even if there’s ample evidence.
Bothsidesism and whataboutism are thriving in our era like spiky, poisonous weeds, and if villain backstories aren’t a cause of that problem, they’re surely a symptom.
From Cruella to Maleficent to the Joker: Is It Time to Retire the Villain Origin Story?|Stephanie Zacharek|May 26, 2021|Time