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…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

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.
Will Work-from-Home Work Forever? (Ep. 464)|Stephen J. Dubner|June 3, 2021|Freakonomics
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