How to pronounce whoever
Say it like hoo-EV-er. Whoever has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (EV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce whoever. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- hoo
- EV
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Whoever pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- hooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- EVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of whoever
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: hoo-EV-uh.
What does whoever mean?
- Who ever: an emphatic form of who.“Whoever thought up that stupid idea?”
- Any person or persons that.“Whoever breaks the law will be punished.”
- The person that (no matter who).“Whoever robbed that old lady ought to be locked up.”
Where does whoever come from?
From Middle English whoever.
Words that rhyme with whoever
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of whoever.
Questions about saying whoever
How do you pronounce whoever?
Say hoo-EV-er. The American pronunciation is /huˈɛvɚ/. In British English it is /huːˈɛvə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in whoever?
Whoever has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (EV). Broken into parts: hoo · EV · er.
Is whoever pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /huːˈɛvə/ (hoo-EV-uh).