Whoever vs Whomever! Whoever and whomever is a pair of words that seem similar, yet reveal how easily they can confuse its speakers.
Whoever vs Whomever
Whoever and whomever are pronouns that are used similarly to pronouns like he/him, she/her, and they/them. What causes most of the confusion between each word is that whoever is a subject pronoun and whomever is an object pronoun.
When to Use Whoever
Whoever is the subject of the verb and represents the person or people taking action in the sentence.
- I don’t want to see them, whoever they are.
- Whoever sent those letters has a twisted mind.
When to Use Whomever
Whomever is the object of a verb and represents the person or people acted upon.
- Neither was given custody so I moved between both of them and lived with whomever I chose.
- We can do what we like and say what we like to whomever we like, without restriction.
Whomever vs Whoever Examples
- Whoever is elected will hold office for four years.
- Whoever wants to speak to me on the phone, tell them I’m busy.
- Whoever breaks the school windows will be in for trouble!
- Ricardo believes his daughter is entitled to marry whomever she chooses.
- Whomever you consult, what counts is getting help before minor problems become major.
- He is just a stand-in for whomever the Reform Party nominates for president.
Whoever vs Whomever Infographic
Confused Words: When to Use Whoever vs Whomever