Whatever Meaning
/ʍɒtˈɛv.ə/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA thing or person whose actual name is unknown or forgotten.
detWhat ever; emphatic form of 'what'.
Sentence Examples
Whatever I do, she says I can do better.
Do whatever he tells you.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
You are free to choose ____ you want, as there are no limits.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
You can choose ____ you want from the menu, as it is my treat for you to celebrate your new job today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English whatever. By surface analysis, what + ever.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"As far as I'm concerned Alec is dead. Whatever they've got in there, that...whatever."
— 1965 January 2, Sidney Ellis (story), Robert C. Dennis (teleplay), “The Brain of Colonel Barham”, in The Outer Limits, season 2, episode 15, spoken by Jennifer Barham (Elizabeth Perry), speaking of her husband, whose brain is being kept alive in a vat, production code 46:
"So may whatever tempest mars
Mid-ocean, spare thee, sacred bark;
And balmy drops in summer dark
Slide from the bosom of the stars."
— 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 28:
"Whatever utility the work may have outside of its stated boundaries will be largely because of such a nonprovincial approach."
— 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page viii:
"In an expression that reflects the pathos of a person without memory of a recent past, Milner quotes H.M. as saying, "Every day is alone in itself, whatever enjoyment I've had, and whatever sorrow I've had Right now, I'm wondering. Have I done or said anything amiss? That's what worries me. It's like waking from a dream; I just don't remember.""
— 1997, Warren S. Brown, Nancey C. Murphy, H. Newton Malony, Whatever Happened to the Soul?:, page 115:
"With all due respect to Aaron, every era seems to have had its legion of wrongdoers and shortcutters who used whatever science was available to get an edge."
— 2009 July 31, William C. Rhoden, “Baseball Players’ Silence Led to Loud Drip of Names”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2022:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
You are free to choose ____ you want, as there are no limits.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
You can choose ____ you want from the menu, as it is my treat for you to celebrate your new job today.