whoever

whoever
[[t]huːe̱və(r)[/t]]
1) CONJ-SUBORD You use whoever to refer to someone when their identity is not yet known.

Whoever did this will sooner or later be caught and will be punished...

Whoever wins the election is going to have a tough job getting the economy back on its feet...

Ben, I want whoever's responsible to come forward.

2) CONJ-SUBORD You use whoever to indicate that the actual identity of the person who does something will not affect a situation.

You can have whoever you like to visit you...

Everybody who goes into this region, whoever they are, is at risk of being taken hostage.

3) QUEST (emphasis) You use whoever in questions as an emphatic way of saying `who', usually when you are surprised about something.

Whoever thought up that joke?...

Ridiculous! Whoever suggested such a thing?

Syn:
4) PHRASE: n PHR (vagueness) You say or whoever to refer vaguely to another person or organization, especially when you are not sure if you have mentioned the right person or organization. [INFORMAL]

We're not just some big business like Mobil or IBM or whoever...

The police, or whoever, would not think of looking for him here.


English dictionary. 2008.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • whoever — whoever, who ever, whomever 1. The same distinction applies here as to whatever and what ever, whoever being written as one word when it is an indefinite relative pronoun equivalent to ‘whatever person’ used in statements or commands (Whoever… …   Modern English usage

  • Whoever — Who*ev er, pron. Whatever person; any person who; be or she who; any one who; as, he shall be punished, whoever he may be. Whoever envies or repines. Milton. Whoever the king favors. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • whoever — [ho͞o ev′ər] pron. 1. any person that; whatever person [whoever wins gets a prize] 2. no matter what person [whoever said it, it s not so] 3. what person? who?: an emphatic interrogative [whoever told you that?] …   English World dictionary

  • whoever — noun any individual, any person, anybody, anyone, no matter who, whomever, whomsoever, whosoever Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • whoever — late O.E. hwa efre …   Etymology dictionary

  • whoever — ► PRONOUN 1) the person or people who; any person who. 2) regardless of who. 3) used for emphasis instead of ‘who’ in questions …   English terms dictionary

  • whoever — who|ev|er [ hu evər ] pronoun ** Whoever can be used in the following ways: as a relative pronoun (starting a relative clause that is the subject, object, or complement of another clause): You can invite whoever you want. Whoever comes will be… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • whoever */*/ — UK [huːˈevə(r)] / US [huˈevər] pronoun Summary: Whoever can be used in the following ways: as a relative pronoun (starting a relative clause that is the subject, object, or complement of another clause): You can invite whoever you want. ♦ Whoever …   English dictionary

  • whoever — who|ev|er S2 [hu:ˈevə US ˈevər] pron 1.) used to say that it does not matter who does something, is in a particular place etc ▪ I ll take whoever wants to go. ▪ When you re done with the book, just give it to Kristin or Shelley or whoever. 2.)… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • whoever — /hooh ev euhr/, pron.; 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… …   Universalium

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