whom

Object case pronoun

Whom is the objective form of who.

You should always use it after a preposition, where an objective form is expected: With whom did you attend the reception? The package doesn’t show for whom it’s intended.

When whom is removed from the preposition that governs it, technically you should still use whom, although today speakers and writers are less particular about this than in the past and many people find it acceptable to say, e.g., Who did you attend the reception with and The package doesn’t show who it’s intended for.

When who is the object of a verb, many speakers today do not use whom: They said there would be an arrest but they didn’t say who.

recipients

addressee

Intended mail recipient

audience · receiver · person · individual · party · someone · anyone · everyone · no one · those

grammar

pronoun

Noun's grammatical replacement

accusative · dative · objective · case · syntax · preposition · object · indirect object · direct object · inflection

interrogative

which

Interrogative for selection

  • whatRequesting clarification or repetition
  • questionRequest for information
  • queryRequest for information

inquiry · asking

formal

formality

Strict observance of convention

educated · literary · written · traditional · prescriptive · standard · elegance · refinement · precision

Categories
Opposites
grammatical case

whomwho

Person-asking pronoun

she · he · they · I · we

referent type

whomwhat

Requesting clarification or repetition

which · that · whatever · whichever

Phrases
Family

who, whoever, whose, whomever, whosoever

Familiarity
Top 20,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G