go about

British  

verb

1. (adverb) to move from place to place

2. (preposition) to busy oneself with

   to go about one's duties

3. (preposition) to tackle (a problem or task)

4. (preposition) to be actively and constantly engaged in (doing something)

   he went about doing good

5. to circulate (in)

   there's a lot of flu going about

6. (adverb) (of a sailing ship) to change from one tack to another

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go about Idioms  

1. Also, go around . Move here and there, to and fro; also, circulate. For example, She's been going about telling everyone the news , or A report went around that the dollar was dropping . [c. 1300]

2. Set about, undertake, as in I'm not sure how to go about making a pie . [Late 1600s]

3. go about one's business . Proceed with one's own proper occupation or concern. For example, Don't bother with that—just go about your business . [Late 1600s]

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Example Sentences

How does one go about helping a very elderly man who has only me as his next of kin?

From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026

"It's absolutely fine for people to go about living their lives in a normal way," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Instead, Pegula tends to go about her business quietly, relying on a calm temperament and a methodical style that wears opponents down over time.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

If we want to succeed and continue to have a vibrant economy over the coming decades, we have to have new ways of thinking about how we go about investing in infrastructure.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

He could go about his day and be the kind of boy Mrs. Contreras wanted him to be: good and ordinary.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

Related Words

• set about