ever and -ever. Whoever, however, whatever, etcare written as one word when they mean ‘any person who’, ‘in whichever way’, or ‘no matter what’: Whoever told you that is a liar However you decide to do it, make sure you get it done quickly. But when ever is used with a word like who, how, or what in the intensifying sense of ‘on earth’, the two words are written separately: Who ever can it be?; What ever did he mean by that?