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
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 wherefore
Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
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
The book casts its spell in revealing the whys and wherefores of the killings, as investigated by Burke’s onetime high school classmate, Rob Barrett, a Boston FBI agent whom Burke likes nothing better than to humiliate.
—Lloyd Sachs, chicagotribune.com, 21 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
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
The book casts its spell in revealing the whys and wherefores of the killings, as investigated by Burke’s onetime high school classmate, Rob Barrett, a Boston FBI agent whom Burke likes nothing better than to humiliate.
—Lloyd Sachs, chicagotribune.com, 21 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefore
Adverb
-
Even without the lights, which exceeded the $800 exemption and therefore are subject to tariffs, the show debuted its preview performance in New York over the weekend.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Some might protest that the inflation rate and bank lending rate are correlated, and therefore the HAMI double-counts the effective inflation.—
Steve H. Hanke,
National Review,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But the reason for this recent drop in yields — softer economic growth expectations — may mean that’s not the case this time, according to Morgan Stanley strategists led by Michael Wilson.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Universities are the reason that this country has been able to attract talent, chase breakthroughs, and respond to change.—
Nathan Heller,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
Older folks tend to be the most at risk, with about 700 people 65 and older dying so far this year from the common virus.—
Harriet Blair Rowan,
The Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2025
-
The humidity is so relentless that everything remains perpetually damp, making hypothermia a constant threat.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
There’s got to be a why.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
29 Mar. 2023
-
The show never aims its considerable wit and girl power vibe to get a firm grip on the troubling tributaries that flow just underneath the why-ness of the show: These women, nobility be damned, are one and all inextricably tied to a fundamentally-flawed man.—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Oct. 2022
Adverb
-
The marvellous, transforming Aska A5 has driven on the street and taken off, but not in the same video clip, and its flight tests thus far have been on safety tethers.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Mar. 2025
-
No ingredients list — and, thus, no listing of possible allergens for folks with a food allergy — was available for pan de bono, guava pastelitos and other bakery items in the hot case.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Deputies are investigating the shooting and working to determine a possible motive.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Police haven’t yet given a motive or made any connection between the stabbing and the Holocaust memorial, known as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, or the U.S. Embassy located nearby.—
Brie Stimson,
Fox News,
22 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to wherefore
Cite this Entry
“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share