as in therefore
for this or that reason
it was getting late, and wherefore we decided to move on
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in reason
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
demanded to know the whys and wherefores for the decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wherefore
Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025
But none of those 265 pages of wherefores and whereases on the sports authority website are legally binding.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023
Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores.
—Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023
The political whys and wherefores are important — and might be left to another piece.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 14 May 2023
As in most of Tim and Eric’s sketch humor, there are few whys and wherefores.
—Austin Considine, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020
Julian Fellowes, a master writer who understands so well all the peculiarities of time and place, manners and historical significance of the whys and wherefores of his fictional inhabitants, is to be applauded.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2019
In addition to gleaning the why and wherefore behind America’s foundational document, teenage listeners will meet up with the Declaration of Independence and a roster of seminal Supreme Court decisions.
—Louis Bayard, New York Times, 28 May 2018
Adverb
The musicians, especially but not exclusively Jerry Garcia, whose death in 1995 only technically ended the Dead, prove remarkably articulate about the why and wherefore of their music and the group mind that created it.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
For one thing: we are reminded of the American purpose, our whys and wherefores.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025
But none of those 265 pages of wherefores and whereases on the sports authority website are legally binding.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023
Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores.
—Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023
The political whys and wherefores are important — and might be left to another piece.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 14 May 2023
As in most of Tim and Eric’s sketch humor, there are few whys and wherefores.
—Austin Considine, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020
Julian Fellowes, a master writer who understands so well all the peculiarities of time and place, manners and historical significance of the whys and wherefores of his fictional inhabitants, is to be applauded.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2019
In addition to gleaning the why and wherefore behind America’s foundational document, teenage listeners will meet up with the Declaration of Independence and a roster of seminal Supreme Court decisions.
—Louis Bayard, New York Times, 28 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefore
Adverb
-
Nearly the entire musical, which is now being revived at Lincoln Center, therefore unfolds with our hero stuck fast inside one of the earth’s narrow pockets, his dwindling awareness reaching out toward the glittering, subterranean volumes all around him.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Liverpool’s geography therefore contributed as much towards a less structured way of life as an overriding employment culture without contracts or certainty.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
And one reason the NFL doesn't like this problem is because it's gone public.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2025
-
The National Institute of Standards and Technology would lose $350 million for similar reasons.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2025
Adverb
-
In doing so, they were buffered by other Spanish thinkers who took issue with las Casas’s arguments, primarily Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo and Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The lefty has struck out 16 batters in 11 innings so far.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The why: Dazzling September debut quickly escalated expectations that the hard-throwing lefty will become a major bullpen weapon.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
-
The why: Has top-of-rotation skills and potential, is healthy and — unlike most other starters — won’t be subject to much in the way of workload restrictions.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
What has the response been thus far with consumers and the broader sustainability community with the MycoDigestible diapers?—
Tim Clark,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
-
Three Rockets starters scored 24 or more points, lending to the equal-opportunity offensive approach that has gotten them thus far.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
The motive is obvious: give third-year quarterback Bryce Young as many weapons as possible while hoping the 2023 No. 1 pick continues to revive his career after an awful rookie season and last year’s benching.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
His assailant ran off and a motive for the attack still isn’t clear as police continue searching for the suspect.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
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