where

\ ˈ(h)wer

, (ˌ)(h)wər \

Definition of where

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : 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 again— William Shakespeare

where

conjunction

\ ˈ(h)wer

, (ˌ)(h)wər \

Definition of where (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : 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 him— William Faulkner

2 : wherever goes where she likes

3a : 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 ovens— Randall Jarrell

4a : 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 countries— Andy Rooney

where

noun

\ ˈ(h)wer

Definition of where (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : place, location the where and the how of the accident

2 : what place, source, or cause I know where that comes from

where it's at

1a : 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

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about where

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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 For sports, where competition is its lifeblood and what captivates billions to be active across the world, the novel coronavirus is the most bitter, ruthless, hard-nosed opponent that it's ever faced. — Briar Napier, The Arizona Republic, "Phoenix Rising GM: No perfect way to return to sports," 27 June 2020 In Illinois, face-covering is required in places where maintaining distance is difficult. DeWine has been firm in his recommendation that Ohioans wear masks, but a bit skittish to get bossy about it. — Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, "Masks, somehow, have become a point of contention for some," 27 June 2020 Such cycles churn across much of culturally conservative eastern Europe, where drug use is high and punishments are severe. — The Economist, "Overdosed Tough-on-drug policies often hit women hardest," 27 June 2020 With current film and TV productions either stalled entirely or wrestling with how to depict intimacy in a world where touching is discouraged, the excesses of 365 Days might feel like a novelty to viewers, in addition to a chance for escapism. — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, "Why People Are Obsessed With a Terrible Polish Erotic Thriller," 26 June 2020 Anyone questioning the equation can look 40 miles east to Haiti, where HIV/AIDS cases are the highest in the region. — Ann Louise Bardach, Washington Post, "A glimpse of Cuba, beyond tourist sites and revolutionary heroes," 26 June 2020 What, when, and where are all key factors in shipping. — Kristina Mcguirk, Better Homes & Gardens, "19 Care Package Ideas That Will Make Any College Student Feel Loved," 26 June 2020 The Black Lives Matter movement has ignited protests in small towns, rural towns and all kinds of other places where Black demographics are thin on the ground. — Caille Millner, SFChronicle.com, "Millner: 2020 has been a time warp. Maybe that’s how a new era is supposed to feel," 26 June 2020 The Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing masks in public areas where social distancing is hard to maintain. — Grace Segers, CBS News, "Biden says he'd use executive powers to force Americans to wear masks in public," 26 June 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Because one important lesson of life is the where and when of things. — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, "Mitch Albom: New high school trend: Viral gradu-shaming speeches," 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, "Review: 5 things to know about ‘Pray The Gay Away'," 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, "The Banks concert venue: What's next," 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, "Colombia’s national survey of its biodiversity is ambitious," 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, "Rocket Mortgage blasts off with TV ads, product placement with 'Avengers: Infinity War'," 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, "Antoni Porowski Can Cook," 6 Mar. 2018 Given the academy’s loosey-goosey-where-did-the-money-go history, Mr. Colacello was wary at first. — Jacob Bernstein, New York Times, "A Celebrity Party Where Andy Warhol Would Have Fit Right In," 26 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'where.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.