whenever
Americanconjunction
-
at whatever time; at any time when.
Come whenever you like.
-
when? (used emphatically).
Whenever did he say that?
conjunction
adverb
-
no matter when
it'll be here, whenever you decide to come for it
-
informal at an unknown or unspecified time
I'll take it if it comes today, tomorrow, or whenever
-
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.
"The intelligence community is tripled down looking at this World Cup, and we'll continue to monitor it between now and whenever the final goal is scored on July 19th."
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
Many managers have asked their team something like, “Will you please give me feedback whenever you have some?” and received exactly nothing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
I think about that whenever a strongman tries to own what we had on those fields.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
In theory, the actuarial adjustments are designed so that the typical individual would receive the same lifetime benefits whenever they claim.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
They had two sets of twin boys, so things were always noisy and messy whenever they were around.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
