whom
hoom
Whom (pron) means the object form of "who," used when referring to the person a verb or preposition acts on. Example: “The woman with whom I shared a room became a close friend.”
pron
1
The object form of "who," used when referring to the person a verb or preposition acts on.
"With whom were you talking?"
"The woman with whom I shared a room became a close friend."
"To whom are you referring?"
"Whom did you invite to the meeting?"
"To whom should I address this letter?"
"The principal economic activity is copra production, the Government copra plantation covering some 5,170 ha. The population in 1989 was estimated at 2,000, the great majority of whom live in London, Banana and Poland villages in the west."
— “A DIRECTORY OF WETLANDS IN OCEANIA”, A DIRECTORY OF WETLANDS IN OCEANIA (1993)
How to use whom
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA formal version of "who," used for the object of a verb or preposition.
Common mistake
Use "whom" after a preposition ("to whom," "for whom") or as the object of a verb; use "who" as the subject. In casual speech, "who" is now widely accepted in both roles.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- of who
Fill the gap
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The woman with _____ I shared a room became a close friend.
Etymology
From Old English hwām, the dative case of hwā ("who").
Rhymes for whom
See all rhymes for whom →Frequently asked questions
What does “whom” mean?
The word “whom” means the object form of "who," used when referring to the person a verb or preposition acts on. In plain terms, a formal version of "who," used for the object of a verb or preposition.
How do you pronounce “whom”?
“Whom” is pronounced hoom (/huːm/ in IPA).
How do you use “whom” in a sentence?
Here is “whom” used in a sentence: “Whom did you invite to the meeting?”
What part of speech is “whom”?
“Whom” is a pronoun.
Where does the word “whom” come from?
The word “whom” comes from Old English. From Old English hwām, the dative case of hwā ("who").
Is “whom” a common word?
“Whom” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between who and whom?
Who is the subject form, used for the person doing the action, as in 'who called?'. Whom is the object form, used for the person receiving the action or following a preposition, as in 'to whom did you speak?'. A quick test: if you could answer with 'he', use who; if 'him', use whom.
When should I use whom?
Use whom when the word is the object of a verb or preposition, meaning the action is done to that person. It often follows prepositions, as in 'for whom', 'with whom', or 'to whom'. If you can replace it with 'him' or 'her', whom is correct; if 'he' or 'she' fits, use who.
Is whom still used today?
Whom is increasingly rare in everyday speech, where many people use who in its place, especially at the start of a question. It remains common in formal writing and directly after prepositions, as in 'to whom it may concern'. Using it correctly still signals careful, polished English.
What is an easy trick for who vs whom?
Answer the question with he or him. If 'he' sounds right, use who, because both are subjects. If 'him' sounds right, use whom, because both are objects and both end in the letter m. For example, 'Whom did you see?' pairs with 'I saw him', so whom is correct.
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