therefore

adverb

there·​fore ˈt͟her-ˌfȯr How to pronounce therefore (audio)
Synonyms of thereforenext
: for that reason : because of that : consequently
Payment was received two weeks after it was due; therefore, you will be charged a late fee.
The cell phone is thin and light and therefore very convenient to carry around.

Examples of therefore in a Sentence

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
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
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
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
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
The cell phone is thin and light and therefore very convenient to carry around. Payment was received two weeks after it was due; therefore, you will be charged a late fee.
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.
But for women of Austen’s circumstances, living genteel lives without actual land or ample income, employment would have been inappropriate, even scandalous (recall Philadelphia’s slippery slope scenario), and therefore unthinkable. Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026 The complication, as Tang sees it, is that speed and scale have become easy and therefore less valuable on their own. Jason Phillips, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026 And therefore, this role feels more urgent than ever. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Mar. 2026 Barney Kasdan, a leader of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations who oversees the group’s military chaplaincy endorsements, said Messianic chaplains identify as Jews and therefore wear the same insignia as other Jewish chaplains. Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for therefore

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of therefore was in the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Therefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/therefore. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

therefore

adverb
there·​fore ˈt͟ha(ə)r-ˌfō(ə)r How to pronounce therefore (audio)
ˈt͟he(ə)r-
-ˌfȯ(ə)r
: for that reason : consequently
he lost the bet, therefore he must pay

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