whoever

[hoo-ev-er]

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?

whoever

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of whoever¹

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

Example Sentences

Over the years, Rinaudo continued to hunt for photoplayers, incessantly putting out the word to whoever might hear of a lead.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“They’re afraid if they do that, the boss, whoever he or she is, will consider them less productive or therefore more expendable,” he says.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Not only is this symbolic of the growth and development of the game, but it is also a mouth-watering prospect considering the seismic impact it will have for whoever is triumphant.

Read more on BBC

Mr Walker is stuck in Black River, sleeping in whoever's house is still standing that will accept him, he says, while his eight-year-old son is in Westmoreland, the next parish over.

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By the end, she almost felt as if she knew Cyrus Shareef, whoever he was.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• someone