# whichever

/hwɪˈtʃɛvɝ/ (US) · /wɪtʃˈɛvɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/whichever
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. no matter which

determiner · CEFR B1

used to say that it does not matter which one of a group you choose.

For teachers: used as a relative determiner to indicate that any one of a set of options is acceptable or will result in the same outcome.

- You can choose whichever seat you like; they are all empty.
- Whichever route we decide to take, we must ensure that we arrive at the border before the crossing closes for the night.

### 2. any one that

pronoun · CEFR B1

the one or ones that you choose from a group.

For teachers: functions as a relative pronoun representing any person or thing from a limited set.

- There are two cakes left, so you can have whichever you prefer.
- The prize will be awarded to whichever of the finalists receives the most votes from the independent panel of judges.

### 3. emphatic question

pronoun · CEFR B2 · Informal

an emphatic way of asking 'which' when you are surprised or confused.

For teachers: an emphatic interrogative pronoun used to express surprise, confusion, or disbelief.

- Whichever did you choose? They all look so similar.
- Whichever could he have meant by that cryptic remark? It seems to contradict everything he said previously.

### 4. any one at all

pronoun · CEFR B2 · Informal

any one of the options, without needing to specify which.

For teachers: used in an absolute sense to refer to any item from a set without a following relative clause.

- I don't mind which movie we see—just pick whichever.
- The manager told the staff they could take their lunch breaks at noon or one o'clock, or really just whichever suited their schedule.

## Examples

- You can choose whichever book you like.
- Please take whichever seat is available when you enter the theater.
- The committee agreed to support whichever candidate demonstrated the most comprehensive understanding of the local environmental challenges during the final interview process.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.