whatsit

ˈ(h)wät-sət
variants also whatsis or what-is-it
as in thingamajig
a small article the actual name of which one either does not know or cannot remember there's always one random whatsit left over every time I put a bookcase together

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of whatsit Back then, the song was a fast, visionary whatsit, all pulsing, pipe-like synths and simple, buzzing one-bit melodies. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2024 The villain this time around isn’t a person but an all-powerful artificial-intelligence whatsit known as the Entity, which fools a super-advanced Russian submarine into destroying itself in the film’s clever pre-credits sequence. Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 July 2023 Disaster strikes when Loretta is kidnaped by eccentric zillionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) who hopes to use her anthropological knowhow to recover an ancient whatsit from a remote jungle island. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 24 Mar. 2022 That’s nothing if not a unique premise, but writer-director Cesar Cabral’s animated whatsit proves more compelling as a concept than as an actual movie. Michael Nordine, Variety, 24 Jan. 2022 Equal parts art-house whatsit and car-fetish classic, the film works so well thanks to director Sarafian’s ability to shoot a chase, as well as his feel for the landscape. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 July 2021 The numbers of whosits and the intensity of the whatsits really does depend on who is running. Chris Stirewalt, Fox News, 24 Aug. 2018 Thirty-seven percent of whosits voting at a greater intensity than 41 percent of whatsits, etc. Chris Stirewalt, Fox News, 24 Aug. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whatsit
Noun
  • Lenovo’s claim appears to be that the Legion 9i can fully cool itself with this method, no thingamajig needed.
    Monica Chin, The Verge, 1 Sep. 2023
  • Shot in 2021, the film apparently featured a crew of Ukrainian gangsters as the henchmen of Hugh Grant’s billionaire arms dealer antagonist, Greg Simmonds (who is brokering the thingamajig deal).
    Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2023
Noun
  • Want to make a new crypto, or a new crypto thingamabob?
    Clem Chambers, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
  • Fans were just as curious about the casting for Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid as Ariel is about whozits, whatzits, and thingamabobs.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Noun
  • Also: how in the name of Philadelphia Flyers hockey legend Bobby Clarke did this show get Gritty, the giant orange whatchamacallit who is the Flyers mascot, as its opening night guest star?
    Gene Seymour, CNN, 22 Sep. 2022
  • The ranking only includes the 193 breeds that the AKC recognizes, so unfortunately, mixed breeds like maltipoos, goldendoodles and whatchamacallits aren't on it.
    AJ Willingham, CNN, 9 May 2020
Noun
  • These days, though KitchenAid sells all kinds of other doohickeys, the stand mixer is still what the company is known for.
    Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2024
  • Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Vehicles of all shapes and sizes are present at Woodward, including this minuscule go-kart doohickey.
    Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 22 Aug. 2023
Noun
  • The turn that even the most regal of short kings would be promptly discarded for any dingus who looks like Jacob Elordi is the episode’s most successful use of the actor’s appearance as a plot point.
    Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2024
  • Almost all are some form of dingus.
    Dan Carson, Chron, 16 Apr. 2021
Noun
  • Stallone swaggers around, knocking out men decades his junior with one punch, wooing beautiful women, and building the confidence of his ragtag bunch in between drafting them to participate in gun battles with biker gangs and whatnot.
    Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2024
  • The problem is, the rider has to reach down and manually flip that lever, which isn't all that doable when the trail is rapidly changing back and forth between being smooth, rooty, uphill, downhill or whatnot.
    Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2024
Noun
  • The final piece of the puzzle snaps into place as the gang attends a party thrown by Mac’s friend and former producer Roya (Haven Burton), who happens to own the monkey that gave Mac that embarrassing small-mouth hickey.
    Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
  • The suction cups are left on the body somewhere between five to 10 minutes, which is why the circle marks (which are comparable to a bruise… or even a hickey) appear.
    Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Whatsit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whatsit. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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