whoever

American  

[hoo-ev-er] / huˈɛv ər /

pronoun

possessive

whosever,

objective

whomever

1. whatever person; anyone that.

   Whoever did it should be proud. Ask whoever is there. Tell it to whomever you like.

2. no matter who.

   I won't do it, whoever asks.

3. who? what person? (used to express astonishment, disbelief, disdain, etc.).

   Whoever is that? Whoever told you such a thing?

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whoever British  

/ huːˈɛvə /

pronoun

1. any person who; anyone that

   whoever wants it can have it

2. no matter who

   I'll come round tomorrow, whoever may be here

3. an intensive form of who, used in questions

   whoever could have thought that?

4. informal an unknown or unspecified person

   give those to John, or Cathy, or whoever

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Etymology

Origin of whoever

Middle English word dating back to 1125–75; see origin at who, ever

Example Sentences

What’s Next: Whoever replaces Nunes on a permanent basis will have to make a coherent strategy for the company’s diverse commercial interests.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Whoever controlled wireless communication on railroads would help determine the future of transit itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Whoever wins the presidential race will replace the 83-year-old Balcázar, who has only been in the job since February.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“I did that multiple times. I’ve never in my life denied participation of practice. Whoever came up with that is disrespectful toward what I’ve done for this team and the way I carry myself.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

The stakes were huge: Whoever won ten games first would capture the lion’s share of the prize money and secure the “championship.”

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• someone