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Definition of whoever

whoever

/huːˈɛv.ər/
who · ev · er
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whoever Lexical Profile

whoever Game Scores & Validity

• pronoun

1

The person or people who; any person who.

Example

"Whoever finishes the examination first may leave the classroom quietly."

2

Regardless of who; no matter who.

Example

"Whoever wins the election will face significant economic challenges in the coming year."

3

Used as an emphatic form of 'who' in questions to express surprise, confusion, or bewilderment.

Example

"Whoever could be knocking on the front door at this late hour?"

Synonyms
View all synonyms for whoever

Word Nuance & Usage

In formal grammar, 'whoever' is the subjective form (used when functioning as the subject of a verb) and 'whomever' is the objective form; crucially, the choice between them depends on the pronoun's grammatical role within its own dependent clause rather than the surrounding main clause.

• Rhymes for whoever

• Nearby Words

who
whoa
whodunit
whoever
whole
whole life insurance
wholefood

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in Middle English as 'who-ever' by combining the pronoun 'who' (from Old English 'hwa') with the adverb 'ever' (from Old English 'æfre'), replacing the older Old English construction 'swa hwa swa' ('so who so').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Whoever. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/whoever
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