what for

adverb

For what purpose.

“What is this tool for?”

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Meanings

adverbwhat for (not comparable)

alternative for what · alternative whuffo

  1. not comparableFor what purpose.

    What is this tool for?

    1 more example

    That's what friends are for.

  2. colloquialnot comparableFor what reason; why.

    Ow! What did you do that for?

    2 more examples

    He wants four copies of it? What for?

    What do you want to know for?

nounwhat for (plural what fors)

plural what fors · alternative for what · alternative whuffo

  1. colloquialidiomaticusuallyAn unspecified punishment or rebuke.

    When your dad gets home, he'll give you (a) what for.

    2 more examples

    - Fagin, I'm waiting. - Waiting, my dear? What for? - Bill will give you "what for" if you don't fork out.

    1968, Oliver!, 01:12:40

    Cranky Kong: 'NOW GET OUT THERE AND GIVE THOSE LITTLE DRUM GUYS WHAT FOR. YES, I SAID "WHAT FOR." I'M OLD. GET OVER IT.'

    2010, Retro Studios, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Nintendo, Wii, level/area: Cranky Kong's shop

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
why

Translations

Arabic لِمَ, لِمَاذَا
  • لِمَ (lima)for what reason; why
  • لِمَاذَا (limāḏā)for what reason; why
Chinese Mandarin 為什麼 /为什么
  • 為什麼 /为什么 (wèishénme)for what reason; why
Czech co proto
  • co protoan unspecified punishment or rebuke
Estonian miks
  • miksfor what reason; why
Finnish miksi, minkä takia
  • miksifor what reason; why
  • minkä takiafor what reason; why
  • minkä vuoksifor what reason; why
  • mitä vartenfor what reason; why
  • isän kädestäan unspecified punishment or rebuke
French pourquoi
  • pourquoifor what reason; why
German wofür
  • wofürfor what reason; why
Hebrew בשביל מה, למה
  • בשביל מה (bishvíl ma)for what purpose
  • למה (láma)for what reason; why
  • בשביל מה (bishvíl ma)for what reason; why
Hungarian mire, miért
  • mirefor what purpose
  • miértfor what reason; why
  • minekfor what reason; why
Indonesian untuk apa
  • untuk apafor what reason; why
Irish cén fáth, cad chuige
  • cén fáthfor what reason; why
  • cad chuigefor what reason; why
Italian perché
  • perchéfor what reason; why
Japanese どうして
  • どうして (dōshite)for what reason; why
Malay untuk apa
  • untuk apafor what reason; why
Polish po co, dlaczego
  • po cofor what reason; why
  • dlaczegofor what reason; why
  • nauczkaan unspecified punishment or rebuke
Portuguese para quê?
  • para quê?for what reason; why
Russian заче́м, для чего́
  • заче́м (začém)for what reason; why
  • для чего́ (dlja čevó)for what reason; why
  • за что́ (za štó)for what reason; why
  • взбу́чка (vzbúčka)an unspecified punishment or rebuke
Spanish para qué, por qué
  • para quéfor what purpose
  • por quéfor what reason; why
  • de quéfor what reason; why
Swedish varför, av vilken anledning
  • varförfor what reason; why
  • av vilken anledningfor what reason; why
Tagalog para saan, para saan
  • para saanfor what purpose
  • para saanfor what reason; why
Tamil எதற்கு, எதற்கு
  • எதற்கு (etaṟku)for what purpose
  • எதற்கு (etaṟku)for what reason; why
Ukrainian навіщо
  • навіщо (naviščo)for what reason; why
Yiddish צו וואָס
  • צו וואָס (tsu vos)for what reason; why
Cite this entry
APA

what for. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20for

MLA

“what for.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20for. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “what for,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20for.

Source: what for on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.