wherefore

1 of 2

adverb

where·​fore ˈ(h)wer-ˌfȯr 

1

: for what reason or purpose : why

2

: therefore

wherefore

2 of 2

noun

: an answer or statement giving an explanation : reason

wants to know the whys and wherefores

Did you know?

Wherefore and Shakespeare

In early English, a number of new words were formed by combining where with a preposition. In such words, where had the meaning of "what" or "which"—hence, wherein ("in what"), whereon ("on what"), and wherefore ("for what"). Although wherefore as an adverb is rarely used today, the noun form, meaning "an answer or statement giving an explanation," survives in the phrase "the whys and wherefores."

Synonyms

Adverb

• accordingly
• consequently
• ergo
• hence
• so
• therefore
• thereupon
• thus

Noun

• account
• authority
• grounds
• motive
• reason
• subject
• why

Examples of wherefore in a Sentence

Adverb

it was getting late, and wherefore we decided to move on

Noun

demanded to know the whys and wherefores for the decision

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But none of those 265 pages of wherefores and whereases on the sports authority website are legally binding. —Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024

Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales. —Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023

Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores. —Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023

The political whys and wherefores are important — and might be left to another piece. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 14 May 2023

As in most of Tim and Eric’s sketch humor, there are few whys and wherefores. —Austin Considine, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020

Julian Fellowes, a master writer who understands so well all the peculiarities of time and place, manners and historical significance of the whys and wherefores of his fictional inhabitants, is to be applauded. —Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2019

In addition to gleaning the why and wherefore behind America’s foundational document, teenage listeners will meet up with the Declaration of Independence and a roster of seminal Supreme Court decisions. —Louis Bayard, New York Times, 28 May 2018

The book casts its spell in revealing the whys and wherefores of the killings, as investigated by Burke’s onetime high school classmate, Rob Barrett, a Boston FBI agent whom Burke likes nothing better than to humiliate. —Lloyd Sachs, chicagotribune.com, 21 May 2018

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English wherfor, wherfore, from where, wher + for, fore for

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

wherefore

1 of 2 adverb

where·​fore ˈhwe(ə)r-ˌfō(ə)r 

ˈhwa(ə)r-,

ˈwe(ə)r-,

ˈwa(ə)r-,

-ˌfȯ(ə)r

1

: for what reason or purpose : why

2

: therefore

wherefore

2 of 2 noun

: an answer or statement giving an explanation : reason

the whys and wherefores