Synonyms of causes

causes 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cause

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

• creates
• generates
• brings
• prompts
• produces
• does
• spawns
• works
• induces
• yields
• effects
• invokes
• makes
• catalyzes
• brings about
• occasions
• begets
• engenders
• translates (into)
• breeds
• encourages
• results (in)
• brings on
• promotes
• gives rise to
• effectuates
• introduces
• brings forth
• draws on
• initiates
• contributes (to)
• founds
• determines
• begins
• launches
• develops
• inaugurates
• starts
• establishes
• institutes
• decides
• fosters
• fathers
• renders
• conduces (to)
• cultivates
• furthers
• advances
• sets up
• enacts
• turns out
• nourishes
• pioneers
• sets
• nurtures
• innovates
• forwards

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• limits
• restricts
• impedes
• suppresses
• inhibits
• controls
• arrests
• stifles
• dampens
• crushes
• represses
• retards
• subdues
• curbs
• checks
• squashes
• restrains
• reins (in)
• smothers
• kills
• puts down
• destroys
• quells
• squelches
• quashes
• cracks down (on)
• abolishes
• clamps down (on)
• extinguishes
• cans
• quenches
• stills
• liquidates
• demolishes
• snuffs (out)

causes

2 of 2

noun

plural of cause

1

as in determinants

someone or something responsible for a result

the much-debated causes of the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

• determinants
• reasons
• causations
• antecedents
• causalities
• sources
• factors
• occasions
• considerations
• origins
• stimuli
• incentives
• mothers
• impetuses
• inspirations
• springs
• be-all and end-alls
• roots
• instigations
• alpha and omegas

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• effects
• issues
• consequences
• results
• products
• outcomes
• developments
• fruits
• sequences
• ramifications
• resultants
• aftereffects
• corollaries
• fates
• outgrowths
• sequels
• repercussions
• aftermaths
• upshots
• conclusions
• ends
• side effects
• denouements
• by-products

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

• campaigns
• movements
• pushes
• crusades
• drives
• initiatives
• projects
• actions
• attacks
• marches
• bandwagons
• juggernauts
• bids
• assaults
• maneuvers
• blitzes
• missions
• enterprises
• offensives
• undertakings

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of causes

Verb

Alexa Frank thought the small, pink, flaky spot on her nose was an acne scar or eczema, a condition that causes dry, itchy skin. — Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2026

All of these conditions are driven by climate change, which makes wildfires burn hotter and faster and causes more severe storms. — Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026

However, scaling these materials up from tiny laboratory chips to commercial panels usually causes major power losses. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026

The extra nitrogen a tree receives causes new, leafy canopy growth very quickly, which can make the tree more vulnerable to pests. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 15 Aug. 2026

According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition causes a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026

Ordinarily, the subtle tilt in the moon's orbit causes its shadow to pass just below, or above our planet, missing it entirely. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Second, reactive homophily causes leaders to avoid diverse interactions due to fear, hindering genuine allyship. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

The debris trail that causes the Perseids comes from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which passes through this part of our solar system about every 130 years and was last seen in 1992. — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026

Noun

Nina Smith, a former Buttigieg adviser who now works closely with progressive causes, disagreed. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

In 2010, some of the wealthiest people in the world signed the Giving Pledge – a public commitment to donate the majority of their fortunes to charitable causes. — Nick Allardice, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

His daughter, Amy Rydell, told the Hollywood Reporter that her father died Thursday of natural causes at a retirement community for the entertainment industry in Woodland Hills. — Beth Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Venkatesan’s and Siddharth’s causes of death are still pending, Ryan said. — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026

The wisest societal response to this would, of course, be to set out a policy framework to address both the root causes and the symptoms of the problem. — Justin Worland, Time, 14 Aug. 2026

As social isolation and loneliness grow, exacerbating our risk of an early death from all causes, these daily interactions centered around communal spaces are a lifeline. — Kyle Vanelli, STAT, 14 Aug. 2026

Doctors had previously ruled out several possible causes, including lead poisoning, cancer and metal toxicity. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026

Without tackling these root causes, the risk of future terrorist attacks will remain. — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026