whatever

[hwuht-ev-er, hwot-, hwuh t-, wuht-, wot-, wuh t-]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR whatever ON THESAURUS.COM

pronoun

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?

adjective

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.

interjection

(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. 2019

Related Words for whatever

whatsoever, any, everything

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.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie
Arthur Chu
January 9, 2015
There was nobody that I read who was like, “This is just… whatever.”
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS
Marlow Stern
January 8, 2015
Whatever the FBI says, the truthers will create alternative hypotheses that try to challenge the ‘official story.’
Was Sony Hit With a Second Hack?
Shane Harris
January 8, 2015
Morris searched for whatever strength was left in his malnourished body.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’
Asawin Suebsaeng
January 7, 2015
Whatever the excuse, in 2008 we were all subjected to Celebrity Apprentice.
Donald Trump Fires Woman For Not Calling Bill Cosby
Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video
January 5, 2015

Historical Examples of whatever

So we think, whatever you think: and whose thoughts are to be preferred?
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
Whatever other failings might be his, there was no great cowardice in Hank Rainer.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
And whatever our views of its cause, we can agree that children at risk are not at fault.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
Your eye searches for whatever may remind you of the living world.
The Haunted Mind (From "Twice Told Tales")
Nathaniel Hawthorne
The desire of man's heart does for him whatever I seem to do.
The Intelligence Office (From "Mosses From An Old Manse")
Nathaniel Hawthorne

British Dictionary definitions for whatever

whatever

pronoun

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?

determiner

an intensive form of whatuse whatever tools you can get hold of

adjective

(postpositive) absolutely; whatsoeverI saw no point whatever in continuing

interjection

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 whatever

pron.

c.1300, from what + ever. Variant form whatsoever is attested earlier.

Idioms and Phrases with whatever

whatever

see or whatever.