because of

preposition

: by reason of : on account of

Examples of because of in a Sentence

I was late for work because of the snowstorm, which made driving a nightmare.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This competitive edge—including its blue and white-collar contributions—is also only possible because of the complete ecosystem that Geneva offers for this industry. Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025 But Green’s never been played off the floor at Golden State, despite just being a career 32-percent shooter from deep, because of his mastery of short-roll passing. David Aldridge, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 California made the most sense as a starting point because of its historic extended producer responsibility, or EPR, legislation—the first in the United States to hold textile producers liable for the cost of their products’ entire life cycle, including their diversion and disposal. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025 And because of their compact size, straw bale gardens aren’t recommended for large crops, like corn. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for because of

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of because of was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Because of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/because%20of. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

because of

preposition
: by reason of

More from Merriam-Webster on because of

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