I just don't know what to say.
Source: tatoeba (1288)
What
/wɒt/
Synonyms for "what" (27 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (6)
Strong matches (8)
Related words (13)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: emphatic determiner, excuse me, gee, gosh, hold up.
- Sentence evidence is available for what, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, derived_reverse, wiktionary.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "what".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "what"
Keep "what" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "what" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "what", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "what" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesMore specific
11 entriesclarification cueexclamative determinerexpressions of astonishmentfused relative pronounhead of relative clauserequest for repetitionsurprised exclamationswh wordwhat questionwhat sort of determinerwhich determiner
Collocations
12 entrieswhat aboutwhat elsewhat exactlywhat forwhat ifwhat is thiswhat kindwhat kind ofwhat nowwhat percentagewhat timewhat type of
Derivations
3 entriesTranslations
55 translations across 16 languages.
Albanian
4 entries- sa det (interrogative)
- ç' det (interrogative)
- çfarë det (interrogative)
- çfarë det (indirect interrogative)
Catalan
2 entries- quin det (emphasis)
- quina det (emphasis)
Chinese
2 entries- 什麼 /什么 det (interrogative)
- 啥 det (interrogative)
Finnish
4 entries- mikä det (interrogative)
- mikä det (indirect interrogative)
- mikä det (relative)
- mikä det (emphasis)
French
1 entries- quoi det (interrogative)
Galician
1 entries- cal det (interrogative)
German
3 entries- was det (interrogative)
- was für det (emphasis)
- welch det (emphasis)
Hindi
1 entries- क्या det (interrogative)
Hungarian
4 entries- melyik det (interrogative)
- melyik det (emphasis)
- milyen det (interrogative)
- milyen det (emphasis)
Lithuanian
1 entries- koks det (interrogative)
Norwegian Bokmål
4 entries- hva det (interrogative)
- hva for det (emphasis)
- hva for en det (interrogative)
- hva for en det (emphasis)
Odia
1 entries- କଅଁଣ det (interrogative)
Spanish
4 entries- qué det (interrogative)
- qué det (emphasis)
- qué... más det (emphasis)
- qué... para más det (emphasis)
Swedish
4 entries- den det (relative)
- vad för det (interrogative)
- vad för det (indirect interrogative)
- vad för sorts det (interrogative)
Tagalog
3 entries- alin det (indirect interrogative)
- ano det (interrogative)
- ano det (indirect interrogative)
Unami
1 entries- kwèch det (interrogative)
Sample sentences
78 total sentences available.
So what?
Source: tatoeba (1340)
That was probably what influenced their decision.
Source: tatoeba (1344)
I've always wondered what it'd be like to have siblings.
Source: tatoeba (1345)
Showing 4 of 78 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "what"?
Closest matches include emphatic determiner, excuse me, gee, gosh, hold up.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "what"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.