whatever
[hwuht-ev-er, hwot-, hwuh t-, wuht-, wot-, wuh t-]
See more synonyms for whatever on Thesaurus.com- anything that (usually used in relative clauses): Whatever you say is all right with me.
- (used relatively to indicate a quantity of a specified or implied antecedent): Take whatever you like of these.
- no matter what: Do it, whatever happens.
- any or any one of a number of things whether specifically known or not: papers, magazines, or whatever.
- what (used interrogatively): Whatever do you mean?
- in any amount; to any extent: whatever merit the work has.
- no matter what: whatever rebuffs he might receive.
- being what or who it may be: Whatever the reason, he refuses to go.
- of any kind (used as an intensifier following the noun or pronoun it modifies): any person whatever.
- (used to indicate indifference to a state of affairs, situation, previous statement, etc.)
Origin of whatever
Middle English word dating back to
1300–50; see origin at
what,
ever Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for whatever
Contemporary Examples of whatever
When twelve people are killed by violence, whoever they are, for whatever reason, that is a tragedy and a waste.
There was nobody that I read who was like, “This is just… whatever.”
Whatever the FBI says, the truthers will create alternative hypotheses that try to challenge the ‘official story.’
Morris searched for whatever strength was left in his malnourished body.
Whatever the excuse, in 2008 we were all subjected to Celebrity Apprentice.
Historical Examples of whatever
So we think, whatever you think: and whose thoughts are to be preferred?
Whatever other failings might be his, there was no great cowardice in Hank Rainer.
And whatever our views of its cause, we can agree that children at risk are not at fault.
Your eye searches for whatever may remind you of the living world.
The desire of man's heart does for him whatever I seem to do.
British Dictionary definitions for whatever- everything or anything thatdo whatever he asks you to
- no matter whatwhatever he does, he is forgiven
- informal an unknown or unspecified thing or thingstake a hammer, chisel, or whatever
- an intensive form of what, used in questionswhatever can he have said to upset her so much?
- an intensive form of whatuse whatever tools you can get hold of
- (postpositive) absolutely; whatsoeverI saw no point whatever in continuing
- informal an expression used to show indifference or dismissal
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for whateverOnline Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with whateverThe American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
