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whether

wheth·er
W w

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [hweth -er, weth -]
    • /ˈʰwɛð ər, ˈwɛð-/
    • /ˈweðə(r)/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [hweth -er, weth -]
    • /ˈʰwɛð ər, ˈwɛð-/

Definitions of whether word

  • idioms whether whether or no, under whatever circumstances; regardless: He threatens to go whether or no. 2
  • noun whether Expressing a doubt or choice between alternatives. 2
  • conjunction whether You use whether when you are talking about a choice or doubt between two or more alternatives. 1
  • conjunction whether You use whether to say that something is true in any of the circumstances that you mention. 1
  • conjunction whether used to introduce an indirect question or a clause after a verb expressing or implying doubt or choice in order to indicate two or more alternatives, the second or last of which is introduced by or or or whether 1
  • noun whether if 1
See all 13 definitions of whether

Information block about the term

Origin of whether

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English; Old English hwether, hwæther, equivalent to hwe- (base of hwā who) + -ther comparative suffix; cognate with Old Norse hvatharr, Gothic hwathar

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Whether

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Whether

whether popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 95% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

whether usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for whether

conjunction whether

  • if — a supposition; uncertain possibility: The future is full of ifs.
  • either — Used before the first of two (or occasionally more ) alternatives that are being specified (the other being introduced by “ or ”).
  • in case — an instance of the occurrence, existence, etc., of something: Sailing in such a storm was a case of poor judgment.

adverb whether

All 4 Synonyms of whether

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  • what determines whether atoms will form chemical bonds?

Related words

  • anyway

    You use anyway or anyhow to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous point.

  • arguable

    If you say that it is arguable that something is true, you believe that it can be supported by evidence and that many people would agree with it.

  • debatable

    If you say that something is debatable, you mean that it is not certain.

  • indifference

    lack of interest or concern: We were shocked by their indifference toward poverty.

  • nonissue

    a matter or issue of little or no interest or importance: Whether the candidate is a woman or a man should be a nonissue.

  • sixty-four-dollar question

    the critical or basic question or problem: Whether the measure will get through Congress this session or not is the sixty-four-dollar question.
All related words to whether

See also

Matching words

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