Word
whatsoever
Phoneticswhat·so·ev·er, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌhwətsoʊˈɛvɝ/
UK/wɒtsˌəʊˈɛvɐ/
Adverb of degree
Definitions
01at all
C1 · Advanced Formal
adv. used after words like 'none', 'nothing', or 'no' to make a negative statement stronger.
adv. functions as an intensifier in negative clauses, typically following a noun phrase or pronoun to emphasize 'at all'.
日本語:一切※
“I have no interest whatsoever in watching that movie.”
“The witness claimed to have no knowledge whatsoever of the events that transpired in the warehouse that evening.”
Usage
Always follows a negative word like 'no', 'none', 'nothing', or 'any' in a negative context.
Pitfall
I have whatsoever no money.
I have no money whatsoever.
This word must come after the noun or the negative word it is emphasizing, never before it.
Teaching tip
While dictionaries often list this as an adverb or determiner, it is best taught to students as a 'negative intensifier' that always sits at the end of a phrase.
Synonyms
02whatever
C2 · Proficiency Formal · Literary · Archaic
det. an older or very formal way to say 'whatever'.
det. used as a relative determiner or pronoun in formal or literary contexts; largely superseded by 'whatever' in modern usage.
“He had the right to use the land for whatsoever purpose he chose.”
“The charter granted the guild authority over whatsoever trade might be established within the city walls.”
Usage
Used before a noun to mean 'any at all'.
Teaching tip
This sense is rare in modern speech and is mostly found in legal documents or older literature.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“He has tasted approved schools and Borstals.”
The Sun offered no evidence whatsoever for the implication that Zephaniah was a rapist, as the headline suggested.” “The guards who’d failed to stop the uprising, meanwhile, were disciplined by being kept in the camp “for six weeks after the outbreak” and granted “no leave whatsoever,” according to Sergeant Ashley Cooper .” Etymology
From Middle English whatsoever. By surface analysis, what + so + ever.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/whatsoever
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0