whither
Americanadverb
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to what place? where?
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to what end, point, action, or the like? to what?
conjunction
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to which place.
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to whatever place.
adverb
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to what place?
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to what end or purpose?
conjunction
Etymology
Origin of whither
First recorded before 900; Middle English, variant of Middle English whider, hwider, hwither, Old English hwider, hwyder, alteration of hwæder (cognate with Gothic hwadrē “whither”), modeled on hider hither
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.
"I think it's almost less of a foreign policy question than it is a domestic policy question in these two countries - whither America and whither Israel?" he says.
From BBC ● May 5, 2025
In the meantime, whither Bellingcat goeth, so go I. And luckily, there are still some admirable virtual meeting rooms open that provide their hosting company an excellent view of exactly nothing.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2023
“I don’t think anybody knows whither Prigozhin, whither Wagner, whither the Russian Ministry of Defense, whither any particular general, any particular commander,” Mr. Sullivan said during his talk.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 21, 2023
She didn’t reclaim the title but instead allowed it to whither.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 19, 2022
“Here, ma’am. Oh, let me do something!” cried the boy, hurrying from the next room whither he had withdrawn, feeling that their first sorrow was too sacred for even his friendly eyes to see.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
