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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of why
Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Build your own opportunities, document your journey, and stay rooted in your why.
—Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
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
Every character is fully developed and has a why, and every backstory is so rich.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Build your own opportunities, document your journey, and stay rooted in your why.
—Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
Noun
-
The assassination attempt failed — and Hinckley was arrested, tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
McCollum’s line was one of the biggest reasons the game never got complicated.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Sphere visuals - always a highlight - didn't disappoint with moving images of old yearbook photos, a dip to the bottom of the ocean and a magical mystery carnival ride.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Director Kyle Balda serves up a cup of comfort and joy with his pleasant, cozy British mystery, a creature feature charmer where cute talking animatronic sheep hoof it about a quaint little village to figure out who slew their genial shepherd George (Hugh Jackman).—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Interjection
-
Though it was intended to be a yes or no question — Pratt said no — Bass and Raman had more to say on the topic.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
But, no — better to do things than not do things.—
Nick Newman,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Prosecutors hadn’t even offered a motive to connect him to the shooting.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The motive remains unclear, though state media reported the man left documents behind at the courthouse outlining his grievances.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Witnesses told Onmanorama the elephant recklessly wandered around the temple grounds, ramming into the sides of houses and flipping scooters, as officials attempted to control the situation.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
-
Rules and specifics vary with each game, but it is usually organized by graduating seniors in high school and is played off school grounds.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Interjection
-
But, hey, team strikeouts are down!—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
Alright, so not a hot start for the McLaren clubs, but hey, this is why people don't normally switch up their equipment before big tournaments.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Interjection
-
And even if you are somehow blessed enough to be able to give a multi-million-dollar donation to a cultural institution…well, the guest list is already full of those whose checks have already been cashed.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
2 May 2026
-
Because the prospects have turned into, well, Schlittler and Rice, haven’t they?—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Interjection
-
Oh gee, is that supposed to be me in the video with the goatee?—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
As the spigot closed, inflation spiked (gee, maybe there’s a connection?) and the economy slowed, the state budget went from a whopping surplus to stubborn deficits.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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