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adverb there·fore \ˈther-ˌfȯr\

: for that reason : because of that

Full Definition of THEREFORE

1

a :  for that reason :  consequently

b :  because of that

c :  on that ground

2

:  to that end

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Examples of THEREFORE

1. The cell phone is thin and light and therefore very convenient to carry around.
2. Payment was received two weeks after it was due; therefore, you will be charged a late fee.
3. To understand what has happened to the earth's atmosphere—and, therefore, how our climate might change in the future—some ice-core scientists in the Arctic are training their eyes directly downward. —Bryan Walsh, Time, 18 Aug. 2008
4. Most Irish jump racing—and therefore most of the racing discussed in the book—is the laid-back pastime of enthusiasts … —Max Watman, New York Times Book Review, 9 Apr. 2006
5. A good approach to finding out what makes us humans so darn special would therefore be to get complete maps of the human and chimp genomes, and compare the two. —John Derbyshire, National Review, 7 Nov. 2005
6. Characteristically, however, Darwinists, like primitive economists, assume that what is humane—I use the word here, unexceptionably, as I believe, to mean whatever arises from the desire to mitigate competition and to put aside self-interest—is unnatural, and therefore wrong. —Marilynne Robinson, The Death of Adam, (1998) 2005
7. I was once sitting behind a newspaper in the Swansea common room while two engineers, i.e. lecturers in engineering, therefore by common consent philistines, chatted together. —Kingsley Amis, Memoirs, 1991

First Known Use of THEREFORE

14th century

Related to THEREFORE

Synonyms

accordingly, consequently, ergo, hence, so, thereupon, thus, wherefore, in consequence

Rhymes with THEREFORE

abhor, adore, afore, and/or, as for, ashore, backdoor, bailor, bandore, Bangor, bedsore, before, bezoar, bookstore, box score, but for, call for, candor, captor, centaur, chain store, claymore, closed-door, cold sore, cold store, condor, Côte d'Or, decor, deplore, dime-store, Dior, done for, donor, downpour, drugstore, Dutch door, encore, ephor, explore, eyesore, fall for, feoffor, fetor, Fillmore, first floor, flexor, folklore, footsore, foreshore, fourscore, French door, full-bore, Gabor, galore, Glen More, go for, ground floor, gun for, hard-core, hog score, ichor, ignore, implore, Indore, indoor, in for, inshore, in-store, Kotor, Lahore, lakeshore, lector, lee shore, lessor, line score, look for, Luxor, memoir, mentor, Mysore, nearshore, Nestor, next-door, offshore, onshore, outdoor, outpour, phosphor, psywar, rancor, rapport, raptor, raw score, Realtor, restore, rhetor, savior, seafloor, seashore, sector, seignior, Senghor, senhor, sensor, settlor, Seymour, signor, smoothbore, s'more, soft-core, sophomore, stand for, stentor, stertor, storm door, Strathmore, stressor, stridor, subfloor, swear for, Tagore, take for, temblor, tensor, therefor, threescore, Timor, trapdoor, turgor, uproar, vendor, what's more, wherefore, wild boar, woodlore, z-score