English Reference
Idiom idiom

who wants to know


A retort to a question posed by a stranger, when one does not want to either confirm or deny.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

A stranger asked for my address, so I asked, who wants to know?

CONTEXTUAL

When the man at the door asked if I was the owner, I replied, who wants to know?

COMPLEX

Suspicious of the caller's true intentions, she guarded her privacy and curtly asked, who wants to know?


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    anybody who is anybody

    Any person who is well-known or important, especially one who has prominent social standing.

  2. 02

    as far as one knows

    To the best of one's knowledge, as far as someone knows or possible information to be gathered about the topic, subject, aspect, or situation.

  3. 03

    as you know

    as it is already known.

  4. 04

    dog who caught the tire

    One who accomplishes a seemingly impossible feat, but does not know what to do next.

  5. 05

    everybody who is anybody

    All of the people who are well-known or important, especially those who have prominent social standing.

  6. 06

    fuck if I know

    I have no idea whatsoever

  7. 07

    fuck knows

    I don't know; nobody knows; it is unclear.

  8. 08

    hell if I know

    Synonym of I don't know.

Last updated August 10, 2026