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
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 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
-
Fact checked by Sarah Scott Mom-of-three Mandy Moore is oh so relatable.Melissa Willets, Parents, 27 Nov. 2024
-
But oh, whatever happened to the wisdom of the Beatles’ joy?Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Monaco Monaco may be known for its glamorous casino and exhilarating Grand Prix, but the world’s second-smallest country (after Vatican City) offers other reasons to visit.Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
-
There's a simple reason for that, says author Shahu Patole, a 62-year-old retired civil servant and a Dalit.Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Still, the family is on edge, unnerved by the nightly mystery.Alyce McFadden, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2024
-
Unconventional love interests might start showing up — hello, mystery, you quirky, irresistible thing.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Police are still hunting for the man suspected of killing Brian Thompson, chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, and have not determined a motive.Stephanie Kelly and Julie Steenhuysen, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Five days on, the gunman's name, whereabouts, or motive for the are all still unknown killing.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Interjection
-
Those characters were mostly Final Fantasy 7's Tifa and Like a Dragon's Kiryu, but hey, Clive is almost like one of those, being from Final Fantasy.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
-
Like, hey, that promising Tinder match did mention a recent breakup.Julia Ries, SELF, 12 Dec. 2024
Interjection
-
Without that, well, Pornhub’s next chapter is nothing more than a dream.Jason Parham, WIRED, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Before December comes to a close, your celestial ruler, Venus, will also clash with Uranus in your sign, and things could get... well, interesting.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Interjection
-
Well, gee, does Florida have to lead the United States in ridiculous?Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2024
-
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 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share