noun

whataboutism

answering criticism by pointing to someone else's faults

In more detail

1. (noun) the practice of responding to criticism by making counter-accusations or pointing out other people's faults instead of addressing the original criticism

Examples

When asked about corruption in his government, he resorted to whataboutism by pointing out problems in other countries.

How to use whataboutism

Whataboutism is primarily used in critical or analytical contexts to identify a rhetorical fallacy, particularly in political discourse and debate. It describes a defensive strategy where someone responds to criticism by saying "what about [someone else's wrongdoing]?" rather than addressing the original point. The term is relatively recent (early 2000s) and carries a critical tone, typically used to call out or condemn this evasive tactic.

Common phrases

resort to whataboutism
accused of whataboutism
engage in whataboutism
whataboutism tactic
whataboutism argument

Synonyms

deflection · tu quoque · counter-accusation · whatabout argument · defensive deflection

Word family

whataboutist (noun) · whataboutist (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse whataboutism with legitimate comparative arguments; whataboutism specifically involves using another's faults as a deflection rather than as a genuine comparative discussion of similar issues.

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