whatever

/ˈwɛt.ɛv.ɚ/

anything or everything

You can take whatever you want from the store.

It means you have the freedom to choose any items you like.

informal

Anything or everything, without specifying what

Whatever you decide, I'll support you.

This means no matter what choice is made, support will be given.

Often used to express indifference or to emphasize freedom of choice.

informal

Used to dismiss or ignore something

Whatever, I don't care.

This means the speaker is dismissing the topic or showing indifference.

Common in casual conversation to show disinterest or frustration.

Collocations

whatever happensno matter what occurswhatever you likeanything you prefer

whatever makes someone happy

Use 'whatever' to show you don't care about a topic.

Use 'whatever' to mean 'anything' or 'everything'.

The meaning changes based on tone and context.

From Middle English 'whatsoever', combining 'what' and 'ever'.

Often used in informal contexts to express indifference or to generalize a choice.

what

interrogative or indefinite pronoun

root

ever

at any time or in any case

suffix

English Dictionary