as in creates
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)
the ice storm caused a massive power outage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in determinants
someone or something responsible for a result
the much-debated causes of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in campaigns
a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal
joined the freedom fighters' cause as a young man
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of causes
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
In particular, fire blight readily spreads from hawthorns to neighboring apples, as well as pear trees, and causes these trees to drop their blossoms, stop fruiting, display wilted stems and leaves, and develop other problems.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
Forests, state and national parks under threat But horticulturists warn that oriental bittersweet causes the most damage from above.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Oct. 2025
Armadillos carry the highest risk among game animals in Tennessee, as the species is known to be the only non-human species to carry mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria that causes leprosy, according to the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Attracted by our body heat, carbon dioxide and even certain scents, mosquitoes bite by injecting saliva, which causes the infamous red bump and relentless itch.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Over the years, other diverse causes the billionaire has donated to range from a $84 million gift to Girl Scouts, $20 million to Vermont’s Champlain Housing Trust, $436 million to Habitat for Humanity, and $275 million to Planned Parenthood.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
This process causes the ice block to meander its way down the slope, leaving a deep gully in its wake.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Other possible causes include contact with hazardous substances such as smoke from oil well fires, pesticides, depleted uranium, and solvents or corrosive liquids used during equipment repair and maintenance.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Established in 2019, it's dedicated to improving the lives of children by supporting initiatives tied to health, wellness, among other charitable causes.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Those who reached 4,000 steps one or two days a week were at a 26% lower risk of death from all causes, and a 27% lower risk of death from a cardiovascular disease, compared with not reaching this threshold on any day of the week.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
Sleep apnea, as well as a variety of drugs in her system, were later determined to be the causes of death.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
Sudden exposure to extreme heat or cold causes glass to expand or contract and shatter.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Patagonia has long donated one percent of its profits to fight climate change and support other environmental causes.
—Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
McCallum died of natural causes in 2023 at the age of 90.
—Sarah Weldon, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
The bill also specifies that if an AI causes harm, the human owners or developers would be responsible.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
In particular, fire blight readily spreads from hawthorns to neighboring apples, as well as pear trees, and causes these trees to drop their blossoms, stop fruiting, display wilted stems and leaves, and develop other problems.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
Forests, state and national parks under threat But horticulturists warn that oriental bittersweet causes the most damage from above.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Oct. 2025
Armadillos carry the highest risk among game animals in Tennessee, as the species is known to be the only non-human species to carry mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria that causes leprosy, according to the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Attracted by our body heat, carbon dioxide and even certain scents, mosquitoes bite by injecting saliva, which causes the infamous red bump and relentless itch.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Over the years, other diverse causes the billionaire has donated to range from a $84 million gift to Girl Scouts, $20 million to Vermont’s Champlain Housing Trust, $436 million to Habitat for Humanity, and $275 million to Planned Parenthood.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
This process causes the ice block to meander its way down the slope, leaving a deep gully in its wake.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
The French Revolution of 1789 had many causes—political, ideological, economic, and social—yet in its early phases, many people were optimistic about forming a new representative government based on meritocracy and leaving behind an absolutist polity and hierarchical class structures.
—Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Other possible causes include contact with hazardous substances such as smoke from oil well fires, pesticides, depleted uranium, and solvents or corrosive liquids used during equipment repair and maintenance.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Established in 2019, it's dedicated to improving the lives of children by supporting initiatives tied to health, wellness, among other charitable causes.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Those who reached 4,000 steps one or two days a week were at a 26% lower risk of death from all causes, and a 27% lower risk of death from a cardiovascular disease, compared with not reaching this threshold on any day of the week.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
Sleep apnea, as well as a variety of drugs in her system, were later determined to be the causes of death.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
Sudden exposure to extreme heat or cold causes glass to expand or contract and shatter.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Patagonia has long donated one percent of its profits to fight climate change and support other environmental causes.
—Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
McCallum died of natural causes in 2023 at the age of 90.
—Sarah Weldon, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for causes
Verb
-
Earth’s magnetic field radiates from our planet’s poles, arcs deep into space, and creates a vast, magnetic bubble, known as the magnetosphere, that protects us from the solar wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Just as the close loss at Oregon served as the cornerstone of their playoff-worthy resume last year, the loss at South Florida creates a giant stain this season.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Moore suggests focusing on the social determinants of health — providing stable housing and a strong education, for instance — in addition to intervention work.—
Cleo Krejci,
jsonline.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Many infectious diseases are lethal only for the poor; they are layered atop comorbidities and chronic conditions produced by social and commercial determinants of health.—
Stan Chu Ilo,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Zachary, who used his helicopter license for both farm business and to help his father's campaigns, flew Bailey and Del Mar to several campaign stops around the state, ending with an evening event in DuPage.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
While the actor continued to steadily work in fashion advertising campaigns and small European films as his reputation tanked in America, more mainstream projects are beginning to materialize.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ninety-five percent of the components of an iPhone, for example—a product family that generates half of Apple’s total revenue—come from overseas, and the vast majority of them are assembled in China.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Also part of this launch is the new NC° Band, a wearable device that generates a prediction on which stage of perimenopause the wearer is in by using biometric data like body temperature and heart rate.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Due process requires a commitment to the reasons punishment is sought and thus allows those reasons to be addressed and countered.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Advertisers still crave the broad, simultaneous viewership such extravaganzas generate, and marketers that in the past might not have spent heavily on sports now see new reasons to do so.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Regarding Chinese aircraft carrier movements, satellite imagery captured on Saturday shows the and the were pierside at a naval base in Sanya on Hainan Island.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Hamid’s character is a stark warning against extremism in social movements.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
By replicating the visual fidelity of reality, retina E-paper brings science closer to creating virtual worlds that the human eye cannot distinguish from the real one.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The process brings hemp fibers down to 35 millimeters so it can be spun in a blend on existing cotton spinning systems.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Goldie, like Bucephalus, seized the bit and galloped into the intoxicating world of knowing, of finding out, of discovering reasons and causations.—
Annie Proulx,
New Yorker,
10 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Causes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/causes. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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