Whereabouts means the place where someone or something is located, especially when that location isn't precisely known. If your mom asks about your dad's whereabouts, she's wondering where he is right now. If the police are trying to determine the whereabouts of a missing person, they're working to find out where that person has gone.

The word often appears when someone's location is a mystery or hasn't been confirmed yet. A detective investigating a crime might need to establish a suspect's whereabouts at the time the crime occurred. Teachers taking attendance might ask “Does anyone know the whereabouts of Marcus?” when a student is unexpectedly absent.

Notice that whereabouts works as both a singular and plural word, even though it ends in -s. You can say “his whereabouts is unknown” or “his whereabouts are unknown,” and both are correct, though the plural form is more common.

The word can also mean approximately where something is. If someone asks “Whereabouts do you live?” they're not asking for your exact address, just the general area or neighborhood.