Standard Lemma guide

whichever

det · pron · 9 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: /wɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/
  • General-American: /ʍɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛvə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: W IH0 CH EH1 V ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: HH W IH0 CH EH1 V ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

det

Meaning 1

Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: interrogative

Examples

  • Good heavens! Whichever button did you press to make that happen?!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

det

Meaning 2

Regardless of the ... that; no matter which.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • It won't work, whichever buttons you press.
  • Whichever book you borrow, be sure to return it to the library on time.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

det

Meaning 3

Any or either ... that; the ... that.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Choose whichever card you like.
  • Borrow whichever books interest you.
  • I'll buy whichever shirt is cheapest.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

det

Meaning 4

According to or depending upon which.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I'll buy the red shirt or the blue shirt, whichever one is cheaper.
  • If the work is of joint authorship, the copyright expires 50 years after the death of the author who first dies, or upon the death of the author who dies last, whichever period is longer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

pron

Meaning 5

Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: interrogative

Examples

  • These chocolates all look delicious. Whichever shall I choose?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

pron

Meaning 6

Irrespective of the one(s) that; no matter which one(s).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Whichever you pick, be content with it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

pron

Meaning 7

Any or either one(s) that; the one(s) that.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I have a few books; please borrow whichever interest you.
  • They have lots of shirts, but I'll buy whichever is cheapest.
  • Whichever of you gets here first will get the prize.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

pron

Meaning 8

Any or either one(s).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • I don't mind which you have. Take whichever.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

pron

Meaning 9

According to or depending upon which one(s).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I'll buy the red shirt or the blue shirt, whichever is cheaper.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: którykolwiek — Translations
  • Russian: какой угодно (kakoj ugodno) — Translations
  • Russian: что угодно (što ugodno) — Translations
  • Spanish: cualquiera — Translations
  • Spanish: cual sea — Translations
  • Spanish: quequier — Translations