Skip to main content
whatsoever

whatsoever

481 2.7
Follows words like not to show there is not even a small amount
  • adverb
  • /ˌwʌtˈsoʊˌɛvər/
translation icon : en absoluto
  • We have no evidence whatsoever that this is the case.

Do you have any doubt whatsoever that you are being scammed?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The admission had no effect whatsoever on the reporter's career.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Yeah, it makes no financial sense, whatsoever.

  • There is no reason whatsoever not to do this.

  • I certainly make no claim whatsoever to have that capacity.

  • And they did this without any basis whatsoever in science.

  • You need no reason whatsoever to be more confident.

  • You have no authority over me whatsoever.

  • She received no benefits whatsoever.

  • "I have no interest in that area whatsoever," my mother flatly declared.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • There is no evidence whatsoever that he was involved in the incident.

Synonyms

whatever
vswhatsoever
1.0

Anything of a certain kind, no matter which one

means total absence rather than referring to any item
at all
vswhatsoever
1.0

It means in any way or to any extent and often makes negative sentences and questions stronger

is used after nouns or clauses to stress absolute absence
in the slightest
vswhatsoever
19 3.8

Shows no effect or feeling, not even a little

is placed after a noun or clause to emphasize no amount or degree

How Emphatic

whatsoever
481 2.7
at all
1.0

Surface Forms

whatsoever positive

Morphology

whatsoever = what + so + ever (opaque) = what + so + ever

The combination of 'what', 'so', and 'ever' does not transparently convey the emphatic meaning used in negative statements.

Etymology

Whatsoever comes from the parts what and soever, where soever is like so + ever and means 'in any way'. So, whatsoever is a very strong way to say 'at all' and is used after a clause to show there is no amount or degree of something.