Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

what-if

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 6.12 in modern English

Syllables
what-if
IPA
15
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A speculation as to what might have happened if something else had happened earlier.

Informal

noun

A hypothetical case or situation, usually evoked by a sense of anxiety or uncertainty.

Informal

verb

To speculate about the consequences of something that could have happened.

Informal

Example Sentences

Usage

Inflected Forms

what-ifs (plural) what-ifs (present, singular) what-iffing (participle, present) what-iffed (participle, past) what-iffed (past)

Phrases

what-iffery what if ifs, ands, or buts

Frequently Paired Words

what if counterfactual ifs, ands, or buts

Questions

What does what-if mean?
A speculation as to what might have happened if something else had happened earlier.

How to pronounce what-if

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “what-if”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “what-if”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “what-if” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.