: any of various other things that might also be mentioned
paper clips, pins, and whatnot
1
: a nondescript person or thing
2
: a light open set of shelves for bric-a-brac
Synonyms
Examples of whatnot in a Sentence
Pronoun
You can use the container to hold paper clips, pins, and whatnot.
the drawer is full of spare pens, paper clips, stray elastics and whatnot
Noun
the store sells an array of whatnots for the do-it-yourself plumber
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2023
All of my prior entrepreneurial endeavors and startups and whatnot, were in different forms of tech, whether media or data or enterprise software.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2023
People weren’t matching up their sneakers to their outfits and whatnot, pre Hip Hop.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 14 Aug. 2023
She's done well, she's occupied the center-backs, she's dragged and pulled players out and whatnot.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 1 Aug. 2023
This heartbreaking image from Ukraine is a wakeup call; free press is essential to freedom
Meanwhile, across the way is another camp where rich kids go to learn about hedge funds and whatnot.
—Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 17 July 2023
The finer pinch of this body trimmer is more delicate around the pits, groin, and whatnot.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 29 June 2023
There were people who were uncomfortable with a Gucci Mane at the Tiny Desk, given his history and whatnot.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 18 June 2023
Lagat, Solinsky, Ritzenhein, Chelimo—all these guys had won NCAA titles and whatnot.
—Sarah Barker, Outside Online, 14 Sep. 2019
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Noun
There isn’t even an attempt to engage with Marie’s heightened perception of the world, with even the few careful sound design choices getting blasted out by bombs and whatnot.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2023
All of my prior entrepreneurial endeavors and startups and whatnot, were in different forms of tech, whether media or data or enterprise software.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2023
People weren’t matching up their sneakers to their outfits and whatnot, pre Hip Hop.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 14 Aug. 2023
She's done well, she's occupied the center-backs, she's dragged and pulled players out and whatnot.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 1 Aug. 2023
This heartbreaking image from Ukraine is a wakeup call; free press is essential to freedom
Meanwhile, across the way is another camp where rich kids go to learn about hedge funds and whatnot.
—Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 17 July 2023
The finer pinch of this body trimmer is more delicate around the pits, groin, and whatnot.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 29 June 2023
There were people who were uncomfortable with a Gucci Mane at the Tiny Desk, given his history and whatnot.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 18 June 2023
Lagat, Solinsky, Ritzenhein, Chelimo—all these guys had won NCAA titles and whatnot.
—Sarah Barker, Outside Online, 14 Sep. 2019
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whatnot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near whatnot
Cite this Entry
“Whatnot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whatnot. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
whatnot
1 of 2 pronoun
what·not
ˈhwät-ˌnät 
ˈhwət-,
ˈwät-,
ˈwət-
: any of various other things that might also be mentioned
hummingbirds and hawks and owls and whatnot
whatnot
2 of 2 noun
: a light open set of shelves
More from Merriam-Webster on whatnot
Nglish: Translation of whatnot for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whatnot
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