adv · conj · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/(h)wɛɹˈɛvɚ/
Received-Pronunciation:/wɛəˈɹɛvə/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛvə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:W EH0 R EH1 V ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:HH W EH0 R EH1 V ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Where ever; an emphatic form of where.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: interrogative, not-comparable
Examples
Wherever have you been all my life?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
In, at or to any place that one likes or chooses.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, not-comparable
Examples
I don't care what you do with it; just put it wherever.
Where do you want to have lunch? — Wherever; I don't mind.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
The place (no matter where) in, at or to which.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Qualifier: fused relative
Examples
He's back from wherever he's been hiding.
Go home to wherever you belong.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
conj
Meaning 4
Regardless of the place in, at or to which.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Wherever you go, I’ll find you.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
conj
Meaning 5
In, at or to any place (that); anywhere.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
You can sit wherever you like.
I'd follow you wherever you went.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
conj
Meaning 6
In, at or to all places or situations (that); everywhere.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Add quotations wherever they are needed.
I see mistakes wherever I look.
Our charity has limited funds, but we help wherever we can.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
conj
Meaning 7
Used to show that one does not know where someone or something is located.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
She lives in Puddletown, wherever that is.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adverb
Meaning 8
where in the world
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: wheresoever
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From where + ever.
Across languages
Translations
102 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
къде
(kǎde)
— emphatic form of "where"
Bulgarian:
накъде
(nakǎde)
— emphatic form of "where"
Catalan:
onsevulla
— emphatic form of "where"
Danish:
hvor
— emphatic form of "where"
Danish:
hvor i alverden
— emphatic form of "where"
Dutch:
waar toch
— emphatic form of "where"
Esperanto:
kie ajn
— emphatic form of "where"
Esperanto:
kien ajn
— emphatic form of "where"
Finnish:
missä ihmeessä
— emphatic form of "where"
Finnish:
missä kummassa
— emphatic form of "where"
Finnish:
missä ikinä
— emphatic form of "where"
French:
où donc
— emphatic form of "where"
German:
wo immer
— emphatic form of "where"
Polish:
gdzież
— emphatic form of "where"
Polish:
dokądże
— emphatic form of "where"
Russian:
где́ же
(gdé že)
— emphatic form of "where"
Russian:
куда́ же
(kudá že)
— emphatic form of "where"
Scottish Gaelic:
ge be àite
— emphatic form of "where"
Yiddish:
וווּ נישט איז
(vu nisht iz)
— emphatic form of "where"
Yiddish:
וווּ נאָר
(vu nor)
— emphatic form of "where"
Yiddish:
וווּ סע זאָל נישט זײַן
(vu se zol nisht zayn)
— emphatic form of "where"
Arabic:
أَيْنَ
(ʔayna)
— in any place, anywhere
Arabic:
أَيْنَمَا
(ʔaynamā)
— in any place, anywhere
Arabic:
حَيْثُمَا
(ḥayṯumā)
— in any place, anywhere
Arabic:
أي مكان
(ay mukān)
— in any place, anywhere
Arabic:
وين ما كان
(wēn mā kān)
— in any place, anywhere
Bulgarian:
където и да е
(kǎdeto i da e)
— in any place, anywhere
Catalan:
onsevulga
— in any place, anywhere
Catalan:
onsevol
— in any place, anywhere
Catalan:
onsevulla
— in any place, anywhere
Chinese Mandarin:
無論何處 /无论何处
(wúlùnhéchù)
— in any place, anywhere
Ngazidja Comorian:
haina mahala
— in any place, anywhere
Czech:
kdekoli
— in any place, anywhere
Czech:
kamkoli
— in any place, anywhere
Danish:
hvor
— in any place, anywhere
Danish:
hvor end
— in any place, anywhere
Dutch:
waar
— in any place, anywhere
Dutch:
waar ook
— in any place, anywhere
Esperanto:
kie ajn
— in any place, anywhere
Finnish:
missä tahansa
— in any place, anywhere
Finnish:
missä vain
— in any place, anywhere
Finnish:
missä ikinä
— in any place, anywhere
Finnish:
mihin tahansa
— in any place, anywhere
Finnish:
mihin vain
— in any place, anywhere
Finnish:
mihin ikinä
— in any place, anywhere
French:
où
— in any place, anywhere
French:
là où
— in any place, anywhere
French:
quelque part que
— in any place, anywhere
French:
où que
— in any place, anywhere
Galician:
nalgures
— in any place, anywhere
German:
wo auch immer
— in any place, anywhere
German:
wo immer
— in any place, anywhere
Greek:
οπουδήποτε
(opoudípote)
— in any place, anywhere
Italian:
dovunque
— in any place, anywhere
Japanese:
どこでも
(dokodemo)
— in any place, anywhere
Latin:
ubicumque
— in any place, anywhere
Latin:
ubiubi
— in any place, anywhere
Malay:
di mana jua
— in any place, anywhere
Malay:
di mana sahaja
— in any place, anywhere
Malay:
ke mana jua
— in any place, anywhere
Malay:
ke mana sahaja
— in any place, anywhere
Norwegian:
hvor enn
— in any place, anywhere
Old Norse:
hvars
— in any place, anywhere
Plautdietsch:
wua'emma
— in any place, anywhere
Polish:
gdziekolwiek
— in any place, anywhere
Polish:
dokądkolwiek
— in any place, anywhere
Polish:
gdzie tylko
— in any place, anywhere
Polish:
dokąd tylko
— in any place, anywhere
Polish:
gdzie nie
— in any place, anywhere
Polish:
dokąd nie
— in any place, anywhere
Portuguese:
onde quer que
— in any place, anywhere
Russian:
где́ бы ни
(gdé by ni)
— in any place, anywhere
Russian:
где́ бы ни́ бы́ло
— in any place, anywhere
Russian:
где уго́дно
(gde ugódno)
— in any place, anywhere
Russian:
куда́ бы ни
(kudá by ni)
— in any place, anywhere
Russian:
куда́ бы ни́ бы́ло
— in any place, anywhere
Russian:
куда́ уго́дно
(kudá ugódno)
— in any place, anywhere
Scottish Gaelic:
ge be àite
— in any place, anywhere
Serbo-Croatian:
kudgod
— in any place, anywhere
Serbo-Croatian:
gdegod
— in any place, anywhere
Spanish:
dondequiera
— in any place, anywhere
Spanish:
donde sea
— in any place, anywhere
Spanish:
adondequiera (whitherever)
— in any place, anywhere
Bulgarian:
навсякъде където
(navsjakǎde kǎdeto)
— in all places, everywhere
Danish:
hvor
— in all places, everywhere
Dutch:
waar ook
— in all places, everywhere
Finnish:
missä tahansa
— in all places, everywhere
Finnish:
missä vain
— in all places, everywhere
Finnish:
missä ikinä
— in all places, everywhere
French:
partout où
— in all places, everywhere
Galician:
xalundes
— in all places, everywhere
Greek:
οπουδήποτε
(opoudípote)
— in all places, everywhere
Italian:
ovunque followed by the subjunctive
— in all places, everywhere
Italian:
dappertutto
— in all places, everywhere
Japanese:
どこでも
(dokodemo)
— in all places, everywhere
Malay:
di mana-mana
— in all places, everywhere
Polish:
wszędzie
— in all places, everywhere
Portuguese:
onde quer que
— in all places, everywhere
Russian:
везде́
(vezdé)
— in all places, everywhere
Russian:
повсю́ду
(povsjúdu)
— in all places, everywhere
Scottish Gaelic:
ge be àite
— in all places, everywhere