Whoever you are, you’re not alone in being confused about when you should use whoever and whomever.
In this article, we’ll explain the difference between whomever and whoever, cover when and how to use each one, and provide example sentences showing exactly how each one is used.
If you haven’t yet, read our guide to who vs. whom first. It provides the foundation for the difference between whoever and whomever.
⚡ Quick summary
Whoever is a subjective pronoun—often acting as the subject of a sentence or clause, as in Whoever reads this will be able to understand it. Whomever is an objective pronoun used as the object of sentences, clauses, and phrases, as in Address the letter to whomever you want. In casual use, it is very common for whoever to be used in place of whomever, just like who is often used instead of whom.
When to use whomever or whoever
The pronouns whoever and whomever function in much the same way as their counterparts who and whom.
Just like who, whoever is a subjective pronoun and is used as the subject of sentences, clauses, and phrases.
For example:
- Whoever made this cake is a master pastry chef.
- I don’t know who wrote this comment, but whoever it is must be very frustrated.
Whoever is also sometimes used as a question word, though this use is not very common.
For example:
- Whoever could that be?
- Whoever told you that?
Just like whom, whomever is an objective pronoun used as the object of sentences, clauses, and phrases.
For example:
- Give this message to whomever is working at the front desk.
Still, just as use of whom is in decline, it is very common for whoever to be used in place of whomever.
You can remember that whom and whomever are the objective forms because they both contain the letter m, just like the object words them and him.
Examples of whomever and whoever used in a sentence
- Whoever finishes first wins.
- Address these letters to whomever is on the list.
- Whoever told you that?
- Whoever told you that was incorrect.
- Whomever I choose, it will be someone I trust.
WATCH: How To Use "Who" vs. "Whom"
