Meaning of What was that
A phrase asking for an explanation of an event or sound.
In simple words: A question asking for clarification about something that happened.
What was that in a sentence
- Did you hear that? What was that?
- During the presentation, someone dropped their papers. I thought, 'What was that?'
- She suddenly stopped and said, 'What was that?' when a loud crash occurred.
How to use What was that
Use when you need to clarify something you didn't hear or understand. Avoid in formal presentations.
Grammar pattern
question phrase
Memory hint
Think of a surprised friend saying, 'What was that noise?'
Related words
Collocations with What was that
- what was that noise
- what was that sound
- what was that about
Synonyms for What was that
- what happened
- what's going on
- what's that sound
Opposites of What was that
- I understand
- That is clear
Common mistakes with What was that
- Confused with 'what is that?' which asks about something present.
- Used in formal situations where clarity is important.
- Overused in conversations, when direct questions could suffice.
What was that appears in
What was that in other languages
More chunks like What was that
- What happened
- What’s going on
- LyricB2
the words of a popular song
- NestC1
a hollow place or structure that a bird makes or chooses for laying its eggs in and sheltering its young
- For this to work
Conditions that must be met for something to be successful.
- CorrectionC1
a change that makes something more accurate than it was before
People also search for
- What was that meaning
- meaning of What was that
- What was that definition
- define What was that
- what does What was that mean
- What was that means
- how to use What was that
Frequently asked questions about What was that
What does What was that mean?
A question asking for clarification about something that happened.
What is the definition of What was that?
A phrase asking for an explanation of an event or sound.
How do you use What was that in a sentence?
Did you hear that? What was that?
Can you give another example of What was that?
During the presentation, someone dropped their papers. I thought, 'What was that?'
What are synonyms for What was that?
Common alternatives include what happened, what's going on, what's that sound.
What is the opposite of What was that?
Opposite meanings include I understand, That is clear.
What words go with What was that?
It commonly pairs with what was that noise, what was that sound, what was that about.
What are common mistakes when using What was that?
Confused with 'what is that?' which asks about something present. Used in formal situations where clarity is important. Overused in conversations, when direct questions could suffice.
How do you pronounce What was that?
US: //wɑt wəz ðæt//, UK: //wɒt wəz ðæt//. Listen to the audio above to hear native pronunciation.
When should I use What was that?
Use when you need to clarify something you didn't hear or understand. Avoid in formal presentations.





























