What does "what" mean?
Something; thing; stuff.
What
/wɒt/ adv, det, intj, noun, particle, pron, slang
adv, det, intj, noun, particle, pron, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something; thing; stuff.
- Grammar: what is listed as adv, det, intj, noun, particle, pron, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: emphatic determiner, excuse me, gee, gosh.
- Useful contrasts: jak, I see, I understand.
- Usage evidence: That was probably what influenced their decision.
How to use "what"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "what" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "what" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "what" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "what" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "what" is acting as adv, det, intj, noun, particle, pron, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "emphatic determiner" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "what", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something; thing; stuff. obsolete, uncountable
"They prayd him sit, and gave him for to feed / Such homely what as serves the simple clowne, / That doth despise the dainties of the towne[…]"
- 2 The identity of a thing, as an answer to a question of what. countable
"The emphasis on the interplay between the hows and whats of interpretive practice is paramount."
- 3 Something that is addressed by what, as opposed to a person, addressed by who. countable
"2012, "We Are Both", season 2, episode 2 of Once Upon a Time Regina: What are you? Rumplestiltskin: What? What? What? My, my, what a rude question! I am not a what."
Adverb
- 1 In what way; to what extent. interrogative, not-comparable
"What does it matter?"
- 2 Used before a prepositional phrase to emphasise that something is taken into consideration as a cause or reason; usually used in combination with 'with' (see what with), and much less commonly with other prepositions. not-comparable
"In short; what by the indiscretion of people here, what by the rebound which came often back from London, what by the private interests and ambitious views of persons in the French court, and what by other causes unnecessary to be examined now, the most private transactions came to light [...]"
Determiner
- 1 Which, especially which of an open-ended set of possibilities. interrogative
"What colour are you going to use?"
- 2 Which. indirect, interrogative
"I wonder what colour he is going to use."
- 3 Any ... that; all ... that; whatever. relative
"He seems to have lost what sense he had."
- 4 Emphasises that something is noteworthy or remarkable in quality or degree, in either a good or bad way; may be used in combination with certain other determiners, especially 'a', less often 'some'.
"This shows what beauty there is in nature."
- 5 Emphasises that something is noteworthy or remarkable in quality or degree, in either a good or bad way; may be used in combination with certain other determiners, especially 'a', less often 'some'.; Used to form exclamations indicating that something is remarkable, in either a good or bad way.
"What nonsense!"
Pronoun
- 1 Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc. interrogative
"Hammer in that nail —What with? I didn't bring my set of tools."
- 2 That which; those that; the thing(s) that.
"He knows what he wants and what to do to get it."
- 3 Anything that; all that; whatever.
"I will do what I can to help you."
- 4 That; which; who. nonstandard, relative
"Look! It's that bloke again what was 'ere yesterday!"
Intj
- 1 An expression of surprise or disbelief.
"What! That’s amazing!"
- 2 What do you want? An abrupt, usually unfriendly enquiry as to what a person desires.
"What? I'm busy."
- 3 Clipping of what do you say?, used as a type of tag question to emphasise a statement and invite agreement, often rhetorically. British, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, colloquial, dated
"It’s a nice day, what?"
- 4 What did you say? I beg your pardon? This usage is often considered impolite, with the more polite "Pardon?" or "Excuse me?" preferred.
"— Could I have some of those aarrrrrr mmmm ... — What?"
- 5 Indicating a guess or approximation, or a pause to try to recall information.
"I must have been, what, about five years old."
Particle
- 1 Emphasizes the truth of an assertion made to contradict an evidently false assumption held by the listener. Manglish, Singlish
"Pitch contour: low [wʌt˩], low-dipping [wʌt˨˩]"
- 2 Used to invite agreement or acknowledgment when something is assumed to be straightforward or already obvious to begin with; similar in function to “right?” and “as you know”. Manglish, Singlish
"Pitch contour: low [wʌt˩], low-dipping [wʌt˨˩]"
- 3 Used after a direct assertion to reinforce a disagreeing opinion. Manglish, Singlish
"Pitch contour: low [wʌt˩], low-dipping [wʌt˨˩]"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"That was probably what influenced their decision."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "what"?
Common synonyms include: emphatic determiner, excuse me, gee, gosh, hold up, huh.
How do you use "what" in a sentence?
That was probably what influenced their decision.
How do you pronounce "what"?
Pronounced /wɒt/.
Etymology
From Middle English what, from Old English hwæt (“what”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwat, from Proto-Germanic *hwat (“what”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷód (“what”), neuter form of *kʷós (“who”). Cognate with Scots what, whit (“what”), North Frisian wat (“what”), Saterland Frisian wat (“what”), West Frisian wat (“what”), Dutch wat (“what”), Low German wat (“what”), German was (“what”), Danish hvad (“what”), Norwegian Bokmål hva (“what”), Swedish vad (“what”), Norwegian Nynorsk kva (“what”), Icelandic hvað (“what”), Latin quod (“what, which”). Its use as a particle of contradiction or objection in colloquial Singaporean and Malaysian English is analogous to Cantonese 喎 /㖞 (wo³, etymology 2, sense 3). It is possible that this was historically reinforced by the dated use of what as a sentence-final question tag in British English.