: 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
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
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 3 May 2025
While there's a clear order to the franchise's key events, our personal recommendation is not to get too hung up on the years and whatnot.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 May 2025
The actual capture versus death and whatnot, that was a decision that went down to the wire.
—Lauren Coates, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
Gilbert’s internal rhymes were never equaled until Stephen Sondheim came along with comparable talent and there are times when the puns and quips get a tad overwhelmed by the Monty Python walks, the jazzy stylings and whatnot.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whatnot
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
There are different challenges of figuring out a team that’s trying to take you out of your rhythm or your patterns or whatnot.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 3 May 2025
While there's a clear order to the franchise's key events, our personal recommendation is not to get too hung up on the years and whatnot.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 May 2025
The actual capture versus death and whatnot, that was a decision that went down to the wire.
—Lauren Coates, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
Gilbert’s internal rhymes were never equaled until Stephen Sondheim came along with comparable talent and there are times when the puns and quips get a tad overwhelmed by the Monty Python walks, the jazzy stylings and whatnot.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whatnot
Cite this Entry
“Whatnot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whatnot. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share