yvlog

Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

when

[ wen, hwen; unstressed wuhn, hwuhn ]

adverb

  1. at what time or period? how long ago? how soon?:

    When are they to arrive?

    When did the Roman Empire exist?

  2. under what circumstances? upon what occasion?:

    When is a letter of condolence in order?

    When did you ever see such a crowd?



conjunction

  1. at what time:

    to know when to be silent.

  2. at the time or in the event that:

    when we were young;

    when the noise stops.

  3. at any time; whenever:

    He is impatient when he is kept waiting.

  4. upon or after which; and then:

    We had just fallen asleep when the bell rang.

  5. while on the contrary; considering that; whereas:

    Why are you here when you should be in school?

pronoun

  1. what time:

    Till when is the store open?

  2. which time:

    They left on Monday, since when we have heard nothing.

noun

  1. the time of anything:

    the when and the where of an act.

when

/ ɛ /

adverb

    1. at what time? over what period?

      when is he due?

    2. ( used in indirect questions )

      ask him when he's due

  1. say when
    to state when an action is to be stopped or begun, as when someone is pouring a drink
  2. subordinating at a time at which; at the time at which; just as; after

    I found it easily when I started to look seriously

  3. although

    he drives when he might walk

  4. considering the fact that

    how did you pass the exam when you'd not worked for it?

  5. at which (time); over which (period)

    an age when men were men

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. usually plural a question as to the time of some occurrence
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Usage

When should not be used loosely as a substitute for in which after a noun which does not refer to a period of time: paralysis is a condition in which (not when ) parts of the body cannot be moved
Discover More

yvlog History and Origins

Origin of when1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English when(ne), Old English hwenne; cognate with German wann “w,” wenn “if, when” (compare Gothic hwan “when, how”); akin to who, what
Discover More

yvlog History and Origins

Origin of when1

Old English hwanne, hwænne; related to Old High German hwanne, hwenne, Latin cum
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

  • cross a bridge when one comes to it
  • push comes to shove, when
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“If you spend too much upgrading a property beyond what’s typical for the neighborhood, you may not get that money back when you sell.”

From

Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern joins Dahlia to explore the legality of Trump’s latest, inexplicable round of tariffs against the rest of the world, and debate whether the Supreme Court will apply its so-called “major questions doctrine” when a Republican is in the White House.

From

Nandi said: "When I watched the documentary back, I was like yeah 'I have had some pretty incredible experiences'."

From

When Wharton was selected for England's Euro 2024 squad, manager Gareth Southgate said the midfielder was the type of player the Three Lions had missed "for seven or eight years", and praised his forward-thinking game.

From

But when he checked back in during the second quarter, the Lakers had found a little footing and traces of rhythm, and he cut backdoor to score his first basket on an easy layup.

From

Advertisement

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement