what's

American  

[hwuhts, hwots, wuhts, wots, hwuhts, wuhts] / ʰwʌts, ʰwɒts, wʌts, wɒts, ʰwəts, wəts /

1. contraction of what is or what has:

   What's the matter? What's been done?

2. contraction of what does: What's she do for a living?

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Usage

See contraction.

Example Sentences

“We want to invest in building a really great company that doesn’t really matter what’s happening in the macroeconomic environment.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

But what’s extra notable about the sputtering tech partnerships of the 2020s is how baldly they smack of desperation.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

"We're seeing fatty liver disease in younger and younger people. So we're really happy to make some inroads into understanding what's driving it and identifying cell types we might be able to target."

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

“We’re not ready to come to you with a request; we’re still working on it. We’re working through to figure out what’s needed in this fiscal year versus next fiscal year,” Vought said.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

I’m not sure what’s happening, but I know enough to feel embarrassed.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller