whichever
- 01 B1 Intermediate
det.used to say that it does not matter which one of a group you choose.
det.used as a relative determiner to indicate that any one of a set of options is acceptable or will result in the same outcome.
Simple“You can choose whichever seat you like; they are all empty.”
In context“Whichever route we decide to take, we must ensure that we arrive at the border before the crossing closes for the night.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
pron.the one or ones that you choose from a group.
pron.functions as a relative pronoun representing any person or thing from a limited set.
Simple“There are two cakes left, so you can have whichever you prefer.”
In context“The prize will be awarded to whichever of the finalists receives the most votes from the independent panel of judges.”
Synonymsany oneeither one - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
pron.an emphatic way of asking 'which' when you are surprised or confused.
pron.an emphatic interrogative pronoun used to express surprise, confusion, or disbelief.
Simple“Whichever did you choose? They all look so similar.”
In context“Whichever could he have meant by that cryptic remark? It seems to contradict everything he said previously.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
pron.any one of the options, without needing to specify which.
pron.used in an absolute sense to refer to any item from a set without a following relative clause.
Simple“I don't mind which movie we see—just pick whichever.”
In context“The manager told the staff they could take their lunch breaks at noon or one o'clock, or really just whichever suited their schedule.”
Synonyms
From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.