because of

preposition

Synonyms of because ofnext
: by reason of : on account of

Synonyms of because 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.
If that wasn’t enough, Carolyn was a couple hours late to her own wedding because of an issue with her dress. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026 The 2021 edition was suspended because of COVID-19. Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026 With Powell missing his third straight game because of a strained right groin, the Heat went with the starting lineup of Davion Mitchell, Herro, Pelle Larsson, Andrew Wiggins and Adebayo for the third consecutive game. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026 Crystal Sandoval, an accredited representative with Las Americas Advocacy Center, who attempted to meet with a potential client on Tuesday, says she was denied entry into the facility because of the outbreak. Laura Romero, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026 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 6 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

because of

preposition
: by reason of

More from Merriam-Webster on because of

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