as in oh
how surprising, doubtful, or unbelievable
why, what a strange thing to say! why, that's not possible!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in reason
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
asked the whys behind the surprising decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
how one decides that a certain person is "the one" is one of the great whys of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of why
Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
Jared Keller, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2019
And the why is that it’s, unfortunately, human nature that has presented itself in so many, many ways.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 13 July 2018
See all Example Sentences for why 
Interjection
Why, oh why, do the Rangers keep throwing away almost certain victories in the final minutes of playoff games?
—Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
Noun
Worst of all, the cult of lethality attempts to divorce the how of killing from the why, an insane proposition given that military force is deployed in the service of political outcomes.
—Jared Keller, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2019
And the why is that it’s, unfortunately, human nature that has presented itself in so many, many ways.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 13 July 2018
See all Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
Interjection
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Fact checked by Sarah Scott Mom-of-three Mandy Moore is oh so relatable.Melissa Willets, Parents, 27 Nov. 2024
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But oh, whatever happened to the wisdom of the Beatles’ joy?Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The first reason that alcohol should be cut out to lose fat is that it’s filled with empty calories.Fred Sassani, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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But just as likely are the same reasons Neanderthal’s descendants still love collectibles to this day.Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In life and his own documentary, Preston remains a beaming mystery.David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
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The exact cause of the large freighter’s demise during the storm remains a mystery.The Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The statement issued by Macy’s didn’t explain the employee’s motives for the fraudulent entries, and the company declined to comment further.Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024
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However, authorities said the two brothers’ motive was greed, citing the lavish spending spree — which involved expensive watches, cars, and tennis lessons — the two brothers went on after the slayings.Christine Pelisek, People.com, 25 Nov. 2024
Interjection
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But hey, at least the look-alikes got to queen out to Patel’s Slumdog Millionaire dance.Michael Savio, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
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Voice 1: Everybody was trying to get people’s attention, like, hey, here comes the wave, and then the first one kind of slapped against the door.Outside Online, Outside Online, 13 Nov. 2024
Interjection
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Plus, Monica's, well, Monica-ness about her wedding china provides some laughs, too. 5.Diana Pearl, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
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Unfortunately, heavy-duty tasks like video editing, well, the MacBook's benchmarks run circles around the XPS 14.Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 27 Nov. 2024
Interjection
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Well, gee, does Florida have to lead the United States in ridiculous?Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2024
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With this approach, some jokes land firmly, some flop, some coast on everything else being funny and some start to annoy you because, gee, isn’t anybody ever taking anything seriously?Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near why
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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