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whom

pronoun
HOOM/huːm/

Often confused with who

3 meanings of whom

Practice

  1. 1
    referring backpronounformalrelative
    The formal object form of the relative 'who', used when the person is the object of a verb or preposition.

    Mr. Patel, whom you met last week, will chair the meeting.

    We have five staff, two of whom work from home.

    UsageUse it after quantity words: most of whom (not incorrect: most of who). In speech, who or no pronoun is usual: the man I met.

    Similarwho

  2. 2
    whoeverpronounformal
    'The person or people whom', with no noun before it; archaic except in set formulas such as 'to whom it may concern'.

    To whom it may concern: this is to confirm Ms. Ali's employment.

    He wrote 'to whom it may concern' and left it at reception.

    Note

    A fused relative carries its own antecedent: to whom it may concern means "to the person whom it may concern."

  3. 3
    pronoun
    Used in questions to ask what or which person, people or group (such as a team or band) is the object of a verb or preposition.

    Whom did the committee finally choose as its new chair?

    Reporters wanted to know whom the senator had met during the trip.

    UsageUsed for the object, especially after a preposition: to whom, with whom. In everyday questions most people say who: Who did you call?

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of whom apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

This comes from Middle English "whom," from Old English "hwām," the dative case of the word for "who, what" (Proto-Germanic *hwaz). It is related to Scots "wham," German "wem," Danish "hvem," and Swedish "vem."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 7 facts