Guide 88 / 200 5 swaps Formal register
Professional words for “about”
Two senses of "about" — each with its own upgrades.
i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler
"About" covers both topic ("a memo about pricing") and approximation ("about fifty"). In writing, "regarding" and "concerning" sharpen the topic sense; "approximately," "roughly," and "circa" sharpen the number.
ii · The swaps5 ways
- 01Regarding formal
topic — opening a memo or email
Regarding the revised Q3 forecast.
- 02Concerning formal
topic — slightly heavier
Concerning the merger timeline.
- 03Pertaining to formal
topic — legal/contractual
Documents pertaining to the transfer.
- 04Approximately neutral
numeric approximation
Approximately 40 percent of requests.
- 05Roughly neutral
loose numeric estimate
Roughly a third of the cohort.
iii · And what not to sayKeep this one
"Re:" is fine in subject lines but clips in body text. Use "Regarding" or "On" at the start of a sentence.