whenever
- 01 B1 Intermediate
conj.every time that something happens.
conj.used to indicate that an action or event occurs on every occasion that a specified condition is met.
Simple“Whenever it rains, the roof in the garage starts to leak.”
In context“Whenever the central bank adjusts interest rates, there is an immediate and measurable impact on the local housing market.”
Synonymseach timeevery time - 02 B1 Intermediate
conj.at any time that you choose or that is possible.
conj.at whatever time; used to express that the specific timing of an event is not restricted or important.
Simple“You can come over whenever you want this afternoon.”
In context“The software is designed to sync your files automatically whenever a stable internet connection is detected.”
Synonymsany time - 03 C1 Advanced
conj.used in some places to mean 'when' for a single event in the past.
conj.used as a synonym for 'when' to refer to a specific, single past event rather than a repeated one.
Simple“Whenever I was a young girl, we lived by the sea.”
In context“In certain Northern Irish and North American dialects, speakers use 'whenever' to describe a one-off event, such as 'whenever he died'.”
Teacher's tipThis usage is common in Ireland and parts of the US but is considered non-standard in formal writing.
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.at any time at all, or at a time that is not known.
adv.at an unspecified or indifferent time; often used in short responses to show flexibility.
Simple“We can leave at six, or seven, or whenever.”
In context“The meeting could be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, or whenever the board members are finally available to convene.”
Synonyms
Usage whenever possible
From Middle English whan evere, whanne ever, whanne evere, whener, when ever; equivalent to when + ever.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.