whoever

Whoever is a pronoun in English formed from the combination of who and ever. It is used to refer to an indefinite person and often introduces a free relative clause, making it a fused relative pronoun. In sentences such as “Whoever left the door open must have been careless,” the clause “whoever left the door open” functions as the subject of the main clause. In other uses, it can appear at the beginning of a sentence to express a general condition or invitation, as in “Whoever you are, welcome.”

Grammar and usage notes

Whoever introduces a subordinate clause that denotes any person meeting a given condition. The form can bear subject or object function within the relative clause: if the person is the subject of the subordinate clause, whoever is typically used (e.g., “Whoever comes first will be rewarded”). If the person is the object of the action within the relative clause, whomever is often preferred (e.g., “Give the prize to whomever you meet”). In modern usage, however, many speakers and writers use whoever in both positions, with whomever remaining common in more formal or traditional contexts.

Etymology and variants

The word derives from Old English roots for who and ever (æfre). Related forms include whosoever and whomever, with whosoever being more archaic or formal, and whichever or whatever used for things rather than people.

Usage context

Whoever is common in both spoken and written English, including formal writing, legal language, and everyday conversation. It allows a speaker to generalize about an unknown person without specifying identity, making it a versatile tool for conditional or hypothetical statements.