whenever

American  

[hwen-, wen-ev-er, hwuhn-, wuhn-] / ʰwɛn-, wɛnˈɛv ər, ʰwən-, wən- /

conjunction

1. at whatever time; at any time when.

   Come whenever you like.

2. when? (used emphatically).

   Whenever did he say that?

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whenever British  

/ wɛnˈɛvə /

conjunction

1. (subordinating) at every or any time that; when

   I laugh whenever I see that

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adverb

1. no matter when

   it'll be here, whenever you decide to come for it

2. informal at an unknown or unspecified time

   I'll take it if it comes today, tomorrow, or whenever

3. an intensive form of when, used in questions

   whenever did he escape?

Etymology

Origin of whenever

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at when, ever

Example Sentences

“I dig it here man. You have everything at your fingertips whenever you want, lots of resources,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The analysts noted that whenever tech stocks have a “breadth thrust of this magnitude, the positive price momentum typically persists over the subsequent one-year window.”

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion recognizes that the Constitution “almost never permits a State to discriminate on the basis of race” and reaffirms that “strict scrutiny” applies whenever governments intentionally classify citizens by race.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

The properties were renovated by Yolanda to provide each of her children with their own space whenever they were staying with her.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

“That’s what my mom calls our house whenever someone wanders in with their lives on fire. It’s a joke we say when she boots me to the couch.”

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith