what
Requesting clarification or repetition
Inquiring minds ask questions, often using what as a conjunction or a pronoun: What‘s that thing on your head? Can you tell me what building that is?
What can also introduce a clause that is essentially the answer to a what question: This is exactly what I had hoped for.
As an adjective, what intensifies the noun phrase that follows: Remember what fun we had when we were kids? What a fantastic dinner you prepared!
What can acknowledge that someone has spoken to you or that you didn’t understand, but is only a small step up from “Huh?”
Utterance seeking clarification
- ehTag seeking confirmation
- hmmSound of contemplation
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- sorryExpressing regret or apology
excuse me · come again · say again · repeat · whatcha
Request for information
- inquiryRequest for information
- queryRequest for information
- askSeek an answer
- wonderAmazement or curiosity
curious · how · whom · whose · information · clarification · explanation · response
Unexpected event causing astonishment
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
- astonishmentIntense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
incredulity · wow · huh · really · seriously · unbelievable · no way · speechless
Pressure, mental or vocal
- importanceState of mattering
- intensityStrength or force level
- significanceQuality of mattering
- weightMeasure of heaviness
force · focus · big deal · matter · consequence
huh
Utterance seeking clarification
sorry · excuse me · come again · say again · repeat · whatcha
question
Request for information
wonder · curious · how · whom · whose · information · clarification · explanation · response · answer
surprise
Unexpected event causing astonishment
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
- astonishmentIntense sudden wonder
amazement · incredulity · wow · huh · really · seriously · unbelievable · no way · speechless · gobsmacked
stress
Pressure, mental or vocal
- importanceState of mattering
- intensityStrength or force level
- significanceQuality of mattering
- Basic English Wordshow, the, and, or, but
- questionsquestion, inquiry, questions, query, interrogatives
- clarification requestspardon, excuse me, say again, come again, repeat that
- confusionconfusion, confused, bewilderment, perplexity, baffled
- curiosityinquisitiveness, wonder, questioning, inquiry, interest
- exclamationsoh, yes, no, wow, hey
- guess whatPhrase preceding surprising news
- what's upCasual inquiry greeting
- so whatExpression of indifference
- what do you meanDemand for clarification
- what the hellExclamation of disbelief
- what ifWords introducing a hypothesis
whatever, whatnot, whatsit, whatsoever, whatchamacallit, whatsits, whats, what's-his-name, whatsis