whenever
Americanconjunction
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at whatever time; at any time when.
Come whenever you like.
-
when? (used emphatically).
Whenever did he say that?
conjunction
adverb
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no matter when
it'll be here, whenever you decide to come for it
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informal at an unknown or unspecified time
I'll take it if it comes today, tomorrow, or whenever
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an intensive form of when, used in questions
whenever did he escape?
Etymology
Origin of whenever
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at when, ever
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Villarreal: Whenever I watch something based on a true story or people that were like historical figures, I can’t help but Google to see if something really happened.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
Whenever investors do get interested in non-tech names again, the strongest consumer stocks may be positioned to shine.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Whenever you use AI as a research assistant, subject-matter expert, or souped-up search engine, you need to grapple with the risk of hallucination—AI’s tendency to make up its own facts.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Joe: Whenever you do these predictions, you always say something like that - you are confident about every other score, except City's!
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Whenever he found two men who had quarreled and were not speaking to each other, he told them, “Stop and forget it,” and made them shake hands.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
