whoever

No matter whom

Whoever is a generalized form of who that is used to designate any person, especially an unknown person: The price is $50 for whoever asks.

Although whoever is singular most people today accept sentences in which it is coordinated with plural pronouns: Whoever parked their car behind mine needs to move it.

unspecified

someone

Unnamed individual

anybodyUnspecified individual
anyoneUnspecified person
somebodyUnidentified individual

person · individual · one · whatshisname · whatshername · so-and-so · unnamed · nameless · faceless · anonymous

interrogative

whom

Objective form of who

whosePossessive interrogative pronoun

dismissive

anyone

Unspecified person

regardlessDespite the circumstances

Categories

vague wordssomething, someone, somewhere, sometime, somehow
question wordswhat, when, where, which, whom
The Whoperson, people, someone, anyone, everyone
placeholdersplaceholder, bar, blank, dummy, filler
subordinatorsthat, if, because, although, though
peoplepeople, persons, person, individuals, humans

Opposites

specificity of identity

whoeverthe one

Ideal romantic partner

quantification scope

whoeverno one

Zero individuals

nobody · none · not a soul · solely · exclusively

specificity of reference

whoeverJohn Doe

Placeholder for unidentified males

Family

ever, who, however, whatever, whenever, wherever, whichever, whatsoever, whomever

Familiarity: Top 3,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G