20 Nicer Ways to Say "Whatever"
Whatever in this context is a popular slang used by lots of people to dismiss another person’s statement or action. It symbolizes indifference, irritation or resignation on the part of the speaker.A person says whatever when they want to dismiss another person’s previous statement. It can also be used in affirmation of what another person has said.Most times the term whatever can appear offensive especially if it is used as a dismissing remark. If you feel that using whatever as a response will make you sound rude, you could look for other terms to use.In this article, we have listed out for your twenty (20) nicer ways you can say whatever, the circumstances you can use each, and the tone of voice you can use them.
20 Nicer Ways to Say Whatever
- Don’t worry
- It’s okay
- Forget about it
- Just let it go
- I’ll consider what you’ve said
- All right
- Whatever happens
- Maybe
- Probably not
- I don’t believe you.
- Girl bye.
- I don’t care.
- See y’all later
- I’m just bored
- I lack inspiration
- It does not matter
- I’m not interested
- I don’t mind
- I understand
- Regardless …
Don’t worry
‘Don’t worry’ is a calmer and more nicer way to say whatever. If one is in an argument with a friend, there’s a probability that you may be provoked to roll your eyes, say whatever and storm out.But if you are working on being a lot nicer then you should use ‘don’t worry’ as a worthy replacement. You could use it in its short form, or you could say a longer version like ‘Don’t worry about it, let the sleeping dog lie’
It’s okay
‘It’s okay’ is another nicer expression you can use instead of whatever. It is used to diffuse the heat in an argument or make a disagreement come to an end.In an attempt to stop an argument, if you use the term whatever, it may be interpreted wrongly and will have an adverse effect. Instead of stopping, it will fuel it instead.So, in that regard, you could use ‘it’s okay’ because it is a nicer version of whatever.
Forget about it
Perhaps you are in a situation where you are not happy about something and you are not one to pretend but at the same time you wish to be nice and considerate about it, You could use the expression ‘forget about it’ instead of whatever.If you are arguing with a person and you feel that speaking more about it will escalate the whole situation, the nicest approach to use is to simply say ‘Forget about it’ or ‘Let’s forget about it’.This will help diffuse the situation as opposed to saying whatever.
Just let it go
When you decide to let something go, it means that you have decided not to care about such things any more. You want to try to forget both the conflicting situation and how bad you probably felt.If the above is your intention towards a situation, it is advisable to say ‘just let it go’ instead of whatever. Whatever may be interpreted to mean that you are not remorseful or that you are indifferent about the situation.However, saying ‘just let it go’ sounds more considerate. You can also say ‘Let’s just let this go’ or ask it as a question ‘Can we just let this go?’.
I’ll consider what you’ve said
As we have different backgrounds and social orientations, it is literally impossible to meet eye to eye with everyone. Where you are in a discussion with a person and you don’t fully agree with them, it’s okay to state your stand.However, instead of going about it in a way that may be perceived as being rude, you can actually just say ‘I’ll consider what you’ve said’. It may be a white lie, but it will broker the much-needed peace.
All right
Either simply saying ‘all right’ or ‘it’s going to be alright’, it is still a better replacement to whatever. While saying whatever could be wrongly interpreted that you are indifferent about the situation, saying all right is a nicer and better way.Even if you do not really care about what’s going on or you did but subsequently stopped caring but you don’t want to sound too rude, then you can say ‘all right’ to diffuse the situation instead of ‘whatever’.
Whatever happens
This statement ‘whatever happens’ is the shortened version of what will be will be. It is a person’s way of saying that they will accept whatever is going on or they will follow life wherever it leads them.When a person says ‘whatever happens’ when they have decided not to fight what will be any longer. It is a sign of resignation and sometimes indifference.
Maybe
The word ‘maybe’ signifies the probability that something will happen or not happen. Maybe is said by a person who is uncertain or doubts the certainty of something.Instead of using whatever to express uncertainty while discussing with a person, you could use a nicer statement such as ‘maybe’. This is because whatever may come off as indifferent or rude.
Probably not
If you are sure that something is unlikely to happen, maybe if a person asks you for a favor and you are sure that the possibility of you doing that favor is very low, you could say whatever.But then, saying whatever could come off as rude or unruly. So instead of saying that, you can use a nicer expression like ‘probably not’. Probably not could be used interchangeably with ‘probably not’.
I don’t believe you
There is a popular saying that it’s not always about what a person says but what the other person chooses to understand and believe. There are times when a person will try to convince you about something, and you find it difficult to believe what they say.When that happens, you can express your disbelief without being rude about it. Saying whatever may be interpreted as being indifferent and discourteous. Thus, you could simply say I don’t believe you.
Girl Bye
Girl Bye is a dismissal statement. However, unlike whatever, ‘girl bye’ is more friendly and nicer than the former. Girl bye is used by a person who is having a slight and harmless argument with another person.Even when the argument eventually escalates, and you want to walk away for your peace of mind, you can do that cordially. So, instead of using whatever that may appear apathetic, you should use Girl Bye.
I don’t care
I don’t care is a statement someone makes when they do not have any interest in the matter at hand. It is a worthy replacement for whatever because even though they both show that a person lacks concern about a certain topic, it seems more direct and acceptable.When a person decides not to have or show any emotional investment in the subject matter at hand but does not want to be totally unempathetic about the whole situation, they can just say I don’t care and move on.
See y’all later
A person says see y’all later when they are about to leave a gathering (if they are the first person to leave) or they are parting ways with friends. At that point, you will be expected to say something to notify them that you’re leaving.When that happens, the polite way to say goodbye is “see y’all later”. For instance, when you stand to make your exit and a person asks, ‘Hey are you leaving?’, you should respond with ‘Yeah, see y’all later’.This is because saying whatever before walking out will appear insensitive and discourteous.
I’m just bored
We all have different things or people that interest us and things/people that we find boring. There are even times when we are bored by the same things that interest us. Inactivity also bores some people.When you are bored, there is a feeling of instant tiredness that you feel, and you also tend to become impatient. If the person you are with notices and asks you ‘Hey, are you okay?’, respond with whatever will appear as if you are insensitive to his/her concern.On the other hand, you can just respond with ‘nothing wrong, I’m just bored’ which is of course more informative and considerate.
I lack inspiration
If you have ever been in a situation where you have to use your creative side, a common thing that may happen to you is that you experience a temporary block from creativity.For writers, it is called writer’s block, for artists, it is called artist’s block, and for musicians, they will need a muse to restore their creativity. At this point, the person is said to have lost inspiration.In such a situation, a person may ask ‘Why did you stop creating, are you tired, or you ran out of ideas?’ and you should respond with ‘I lack inspiration or motivation’.Simply saying whatever may be misinterpreted that you do not care that the person is showing concern.
It does not matter
“It does not matter” is used when a person wants to say that an issue or a subject matter is not important. It is a better and nicer expression to use instead of whatever.When a person says it does not matter, they are simply saying that something does not matter to them. Using whatever in that instance could be misconstrued as being rude and disrespectful.For instance, imagine a parent speaking to a child and the child responds with whatever. Thus, simply saying it does not matter to me is preferable.
I’m not interested
When you have an interest in something or someone, you always wish to know or learn more about the person, thing or situation. However, there are times when you have no interest, or you lose interest entirely.During such times, instead of pretending that you are interested or forcing yourself to endure, it’s better to just express your disinterest. Nevertheless, you do not have to go about it in a rude manner.Instead of saying whatever, you can simply say “I’m not interested”
I don’t mind
When you say I don’t mind, what you are trying to communicate is that you are unconcerned or indifferent about whatever the other person says or does. That you really do not care.Now, it does not mean that in a bad way. Your indifference is just to let the person know that it is okay to go ahead with whatever they are doing. This is why it is of utmost importance that you use the statement I don’t mind instead of whatever whilst communicating your mind.
I understand
The term I understand could be used in different ways. You can use it when you realize how something works or by some new information, you know how a person feels or why they behave the way they do.Regardless of what situation you wish to express your understanding, it is advisable to use I understand instead of whatever cause the latter may seem as if you are insensitive to people’s feelings.
Regardless
This can be used as a worthy replacement for whatever if the person who is saying it does not have any concern for a difficult situation or does not want to pay attention to how bad things are.If you are worried about a person or a situation, avoid using whatever while addressing it so that people do not assume that you do not care. Simply use the term ‘regardless…’ or ‘regardless of…’ to express yourself.
Wrapping Up
Saying whatever may seem easier and in some cases will be harmless because the people you are with are friendly faces. But when you are in a formal setting or with acquaintances, it could easily be misinterpreted.It’s better to avoid situations where you have to explain to people that it was not your intention to be rude. Thus, using more acceptable responses is usually the way to go.In this article, we have listed twenty (20) nicer and more acceptable ways to say whatever.