US Trends

whom meaning

“Whom” is a pronoun used to refer to a person who is the object of a verb or a preposition, and it is more formal than “who.”

Basic meaning

  • Use “whom” when the person is receiving the action (object), not doing the action (subject).
  • In modern English, people often use “who” instead of “whom” in everyday speech, and “whom” appears mostly in formal writing.

Example sentences:

  • “Whom did they invite?” → “they” did the inviting, so “whom” is the object.
  • “To whom should I write?” → “whom” is the object of the preposition “to.”
  • “The author whom you criticized has replied.” → “you” did the criticizing, “whom” is the one criticized.

Easy trick: who vs. whom

A common shortcut:

  • If you can answer the question with “he / she / they,” use “who.”
  • If you can answer with “him / her / them,” use “whom.”

Example:

  • “Whom did you call?” → Answer: “I called him.” (object → “whom”)
  • “Who called you?” → Answer: “He called me.” (subject → “who”)

Where “whom” is still common

You’re most likely to see “whom” in:

  • Formal letters and business or legal writing.
  • Academic texts and careful, formal prose.
  • Phrases with prepositions, especially when the preposition comes before it:
    • “To whom it may concern”
    • “With whom are you working?”

Mini usage guide

  1. Ask: Is this person doing the action (subject) or receiving it (object)?
    • Doing it → “who”
    • Receiving it → “whom”
  1. Try the he/him test.
    • Works with “he” → “who”
    • Works with “him” → “whom”
  1. After a preposition (to, with, for, of, from) in formal style, choose “whom.”
    • “For whom are we waiting?”

Quick HTML table (who vs. whom)

[5][7] [7][1] [1][5][7] [4][5][1]
Function Correct form Example
Subject (does the action) who Who made this cake?
Object of verb whom Whom did you invite?
Object of preposition (formal) whom To whom should I speak?
Everyday speech usually who Who are you talking to? (more natural than “To whom are you talking?”)
**TL;DR:** “Whom” means the person who receives the action (object), especially in formal English, often after a preposition; in casual speech, most people just use “who” instead.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.