whenever
Americanconjunction
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at whatever time; at any time when.
Come whenever you like.
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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.
“People used to always joke, ‘Whenever they’re selling the furniture, let us know.’
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2023
“She was really lost when her mother died. I asked her to come to Switzerland. But she was not even able to make decisions without her mother. I said, ‘Whenever you want, I’m here.’”
From Seattle Times • Oct. 23, 2022
Hoyer built on those statements saying, "The votes we are about to take concern the rule of law and democracy itself. Let us not forget the words of John Locke... 'Whenever law ends, tyranny begins.'"
From Fox News • Dec. 18, 2019
“So my whole thing was like, ‘Whenever I have a kid, not only is he going to be a Jr., I’m going to do everything that this man didn’t do.’
From Washington Post • Jul. 26, 2018
“Are you sure it isn’t, ‘Whenever you put something online...’?”
From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
