Definition and meaning of English word "whatever"
whatever
/wɒt.ɛv.ər/
Meaning
determinerWhat ever; emphatic form of 'what'.
How to use
The determiner 'whatever' is often used in informal contexts to convey a sense of indifference or resignation. A common grammatical nuance to note is that 'whatever' can sometimes be used as a fused relative, where it effectively means 'anything that' or 'everything that', as in 'You can choose whatever you like'. A learner mistake to avoid is using 'whatever' as a synonym for 'no matter what', which can lead to ambiguity; instead, use 'whichever' in such cases.
🇬🇧 English
whatever
Example
Whatever you say is okay with me.
Whatever the weather, we'll go to the park.
Your personal vocabulary
🦊 Use this word in a live AI conversationCommon phrases
- whatever you like— whatever you like
- whatever happens— whatever happens
- do whatever you want— do whatever you want
Frequency rank: #811 in English
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the English word "whatever" mean?▼
The English word "whatever" means "whatever" in English.
How do you pronounce the English word "whatever"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "whatever" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "whatever"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Whatever you say is okay with me." (which translates as "whatever").
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