whatever

American  

[wuht-ev-er, wot-, hwuht-, hwuht-, hwot-, wuht-] / wʌtˈɛv ər, wɒt-, ʰwət-, ʰwʌt-, ʰwɒt-, wət- /

pronoun

1. anything that (usually used in relative clauses).

   Whatever you say is all right with me.

2. (used relatively to indicate a quantity of a specified or implied antecedent).

   Take whatever you like of these.

3. no matter what.

   Do it, whatever happens.

4. any or any one of a number of things whether specifically known or not.

   papers, magazines, or whatever.

5. what (used interrogatively).

   Whatever do you mean?

---

adjective

1. in any amount; to any extent.

   whatever merit the work has.

2. no matter what.

   whatever rebuffs he might receive.

3. being what or who it may be.

   Whatever the reason, he refuses to go.

4. of any kind (used as an intensifier following the noun or pronoun it modifies).

   any person whatever.

interjection

1. (used to indicate indifference to a state of affairs, situation, previous statement, etc.)

whatever British  

/ wət-, wɒtˈɛvə /

pronoun

1. everything or anything that

   do whatever he asks you to

2. no matter what

   whatever he does, he is forgiven

3. informal an unknown or unspecified thing or things

   take a hammer, chisel, or whatever

4. an intensive form of what, used in questions

   whatever can he have said to upset her so much?

---

determiner

1. an intensive form of what

   use whatever tools you can get hold of

adjective

1. (postpositive) absolutely; whatsoever

   I saw no point whatever in continuing

interjection

1. informal an expression used to show indifference or dismissal

whatever Idioms  

1. see or whatever.

---

Etymology

Origin of whatever

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at what, ever

Explanation

If you can pick whatever you want, it means you have the freedom to choose anything — one thing, some things, or even everything — without worrying about specifics. The word whatever is all about flexibility. It can mean "anything," like when you’re told, "Pick whatever movie you want to watch tonight." It’s also a way to show you don’t mind, like saying, "Wear whatever feels comfortable." Sometimes, it’s even used to brush things off, as in "Whatever, it’s no big deal." This versatile word fits both serious choices and casual moments, making it useful in all kinds of situations.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

whatever

But whatever some gamers might think, Geoffray Brunaux, a lawyer specialising in digital law, told AFP that holders of a physical game did not own it any more than those with a digital copy.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

You can go to college, you can get a job, you can do whatever you’re going to do.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

“I promised whatever I could do to affect the lives of people who choose this path for themselves, that is my purpose,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Obviously, you won’t be doing this full time, but it’s important to be able to show a potential employer that you have been working whatever mental muscle they believe might be out of practice.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

Grown-ups craft toys for the children out of lumber, bamboo, whatever they can get their hands on.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• whatsoever