where

1 of 3

adverb

ˈ(h)wer How to pronounce where (audio)
(ˌ)(h)wər
1
a
: at, in, or to what place
where is the house
where are we going
b
: at, in, or to what situation, position, direction, circumstances, or respect
where does this plan lead
where am I wrong
2
archaic : here, there
lo, where it comes againWilliam Shakespeare

where

2 of 3

conjunction

ˈ(h)wer How to pronounce where (audio)
(ˌ)(h)wər
1
a
: at, in, or to what place
knows where the house is
b
: at, in, or to what situation, position, direction, circumstances, or respect
shows where the plan leads
c
: the place or point at, in, or to which
couldn't see from where he was sitting
kept that horse and gentled him to where I finally rode himWilliam Faulkner
2
: wherever
goes where she likes
3
a
: at, in, or to which place
the town where she lives
b
: at or in which
has reached the size where traffic is a problem
two fireplaces where you can bake bread in the ovensRandall Jarrell
4
a
: at, in, or to the place at, in, or to which
stay where you are
send him away where he'll forget
b
: in a case, situation, or respect in which
outstanding where endurance is called for
5
: that
I've read where they do it that way in some Middle Eastern countriesAndy Rooney

where

3 of 3

noun

1
: place, location
the where and the how of the accident
2
: what place, source, or cause
I know where that comes from
Phrases
where it's at
1
a
: a place of central interest or activity
b
: something (such as a topic or field of interest) of primary concern or importance
education is where it's at
2
: the true nature of things
where one is at
: one's true position, state, or nature

Examples of where in a Sentence

Adverb Where did you meet her? Where did you hear that? Where can I find books about gardening? I don't know where that came from. Where is she taking us? Do you know where we're going? Where does the story get interesting? Where do the two candidates disagree on the issue? Conjunction Please stay where you are. We sat down where there was some shade. He put the note where she could easily see it. He doesn't know where he is going. It doesn't matter to me where we eat. We could see the players very clearly from where we sat. I know where their house is. The town where we live is having an arts and crafts fair. This is the room where the children sleep. The store where we shop is closing. Noun we've decided on the when, but we still haven't resolved the where for the party
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Money poured in from as far away as Singapore, Taiwan and Australia, according to a class-action lawsuit filed in July against Wells Fargo, where Beasley had an attorney trust account to hold and disburse client money. Lizzie Johnson, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Feb. 2023 Nonetheless, the Bengals will still need to build depth at certain positions and that’s where prospects from Saturday’s game have an opportunity to showcase their skills early ahead of the NFL Combine and/or their respective college pro days. Mohammad Ahmad, cleveland, 3 Feb. 2023 That’s the number of countries where Starbucks has its over 32,000 stores. Julia Buckley, CNN, 3 Feb. 2023 That scale came with an awe factor, which, in a competitive industry where passengers increasingly had a choice of airlines, was a significant selling point. WIRED, 3 Feb. 2023 Freeridge's premiere season ended with an epic cliffhanger that raised many questions about where the plot will go if it's picked up for another season. Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 3 Feb. 2023 Each new year is a fresh opportunity to collectively redouble our efforts to make North Texas a place where every single neighbor has the access and opportunity to thrive. Dallas News, 2 Feb. 2023 Once known for dance videos, TikTok’s growing user rate has promoted the app from social media site to thriving marketplace — where a product can go from new offering to cult favorite in days, and drive thousands of dollars in sales. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2023 Of course he will be pulled back for one last job where things will go wrong. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 Feb. 2023
Noun
It was directed at outfielder Juan Soto, the Washington Nationals star who is suddenly and famously on the trading block and could be headed to you-know-where. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022 Because if not, then democracy in America is going down in a painful heap like a guy kneed in the you-know-where. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2021 Because one important lesson of life is the where and when of things. Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, 16 June 2019 The plot is a little messy and undisciplined, throwing into the second act a few wait-where-did-that-come-from incidents that may have been lifted from the book, but are baffling in the play. Rod Stafford Hagwood, sun-sentinel.com, 24 Aug. 2019 The next step is to get a development agreement with the orchestra that will outline the where and what. Scott Wartman, Cincinnati.com, 20 June 2018 Being ankle deep in mud, on a narrow trail traversing a precipitous hillside that was sloping down who-knew-how-far-or-where, and then trying to collect a specimen hidden just out of reach behind a tangle of greenery, would fray anyone’s nerves. The Economist, 17 May 2018 Yes, that's Iron Man and Dr. Strange using their superpowers to help a young female consumer arrive safely at the home that has just been approved for a mortgage from you-know-where. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 2 Apr. 2018 The Fab Five pepper their subjects with compliments, I-know-where-you’re-coming-froms and hugs. Bonnie Wertheim, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'where.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English hwǣr; akin to Old High German hwār where, Old English hwā who — more at who

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Conjunction

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of where was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Where.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/where. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

where

1 of 3 adverb
(ˈ)hwe(ə)r How to pronounce where (audio)
(ˈ)hwa(ə)r,
(ˌ)hwər,
(ˈ)we(ə)r,
(ˈ)wa(ə)r,
(ˌ)wər
1
: at, in, or to what place
where are we going
2
: at, in, or to what situation, position, direction, or circumstances
where will this course of action lead

where

2 of 3 conjunction
1
a
: at, in, or to what place
knows where the house is
b
: at, in, or to what situation, position, direction, or circumstances
see where that behavior leads
2
: wherever entry 2 sense 1
sit where you please
3
: at, in, or to which place
the town where we live
4
a
: at, in, or to the place at, in, or to which
stay where you are
b
: in a situation or circumstances in which
no good where careful work is needed

where

3 of 3 noun
ˈhwe(ə)r How to pronounce where (audio)
ˈhwa(ə)r,
ˈwe(ə)r,
ˈwa(ə)r
: what place, source, or cause
where are you from

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