whoever

[ hoo-ev-er ]

/ huˈɛv ər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for whoever on Thesaurus.com

pronoun; possessive whos·ev·er;objective whom·ev·er.

whatever person; anyone that: Whoever did it should be proud. Ask whoever is there. Tell it to whomever you like.

no matter who: I won't do it, whoever asks.

who? what person? (used to express astonishment, disbelief, disdain, etc.): Whoever is that? Whoever told you such a thing?

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of whoever

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH whoever

whoever , whomever

Words nearby whoever

who'd, who-does-what, whodunit, whodunnit, whoe'er, whoever, who knows what, whole, whole blood, whole brother, whole food

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use whoever in a sentence

When twelve people are killed by violence, whoever they are, for whatever reason, that is a tragedy and a waste.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
These addresses were used by whoever carried out the attack to control the malware and can be found in the malware code itself.
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony|Marc Rogers|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The mass dump suggests that whoever did this, their primary motivation was to embarrass Sony Pictures.
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony|Marc Rogers|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The real hackers—whoever they may prove to be—had pulled off a feat: they ruined a Hollywood fete.
Sony Hack: A Dictator Move?|Kevin Bleyer|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Whoever it is that Lebanese officials now have in custody, they clearly think she is valuable and worth publicizing.
The ISIS Wife Swap Mystery|Jacob Siegel|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I, therefore, deliver it as a maxim, that whoever desires the character of a proud man ought to conceal his vanity.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
Whoever succeeded in getting the ring on his stick won the game, and carried the prize home as a sign of victory.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
You cannot all at once eradicate the deep-rooted customs and habits of any people, whoever they may be.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Suffice it to say that whoever boasts of an excellent violin should match it with a superior bow.
Violins and Violin Makers|Joseph Pearce
Whoever denied the former proposition was called a tool of the Court.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay

British Dictionary definitions for whoever

whoever

/ (huːˈɛvə) /

pronoun

any person who; anyone thatwhoever wants it can have it

no matter whoI'll come round tomorrow, whoever may be here

an intensive form of who, used in questionswhoever could have thought that?

informal an unknown or unspecified persongive those to John, or Cathy, or whoever

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

whoever

Origin of whoever

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH whoever

Words nearby whoever

Words related to whoever

How to use whoever in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whoever