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
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 May 2026
In the western hemisphere the hantavirus typically causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a potentially deadly infection.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 7 May 2026
In rare cases, hantavirus can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which causes the lungs to fill with fluid and can be fatal, the doctor noted.
—Melissa Rudy , Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Every delay at the local level causes the cost of a project to increase due to the timing of financing or applications for tax credits.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
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.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026
This commonly causes defects and stress accumulation inside the solar cells.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026
Hantavirus, which causes fever, fatigue, nausea and trouble breathing, is typically contracted through contact with rodents or their urine, feces or saliva.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 7 May 2026
Onions emit a gas that causes potatoes to sprout.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026
Six different fixes addressing various causes of texture loss such as black photos, along with additional QV testing on paintings and photos to catch previously unreported cases will also be implemented.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 6 May 2026
Turner then turned his attention to philanthropy, giving away huge amounts of his wealth to support global causes, including $1 billion to the United Nations Foundation and other sums to support the environment and nuclear non-proliferation.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 May 2026
The mogul, who used his massive media fortune to uplift causes, including United Nations refugee and children programs and conservation efforts, is survived by his five children, fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Ted Turner, the brash media mogul who created CNN and revolutionized how Americans watched television, and who wielded his media empire and wealth to pursue liberal global causes and land conservation, has died.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Nelson and Blanche Morris had long been known for supporting Homewood causes.
—Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
That combination improved both the trapping of unwanted intermediates and their conversion during battery operation, directly targeting the root causes of capacity fade and poor cycling stability.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
Despite the improvements in some measures, in every state where the authors were able to collect data, Black people were more likely to die early from avoidable causes than people from other racial groups.
—Anil Oza, STAT, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
In that one, a high-profile divorce case between tech titan Morgan Henderson (West) and international film star Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) causes shockwaves.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 May 2026
In the western hemisphere the hantavirus typically causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a potentially deadly infection.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 7 May 2026
In rare cases, hantavirus can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which causes the lungs to fill with fluid and can be fatal, the doctor noted.
—Melissa Rudy , Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Every delay at the local level causes the cost of a project to increase due to the timing of financing or applications for tax credits.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
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.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026
This commonly causes defects and stress accumulation inside the solar cells.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026
Hantavirus, which causes fever, fatigue, nausea and trouble breathing, is typically contracted through contact with rodents or their urine, feces or saliva.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 7 May 2026
Onions emit a gas that causes potatoes to sprout.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
But those numbers capture only a fraction of deaths, which often are classified only by other, more immediate causes, such as bleeding in the brain.
—Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026
Six different fixes addressing various causes of texture loss such as black photos, along with additional QV testing on paintings and photos to catch previously unreported cases will also be implemented.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 6 May 2026
Turner then turned his attention to philanthropy, giving away huge amounts of his wealth to support global causes, including $1 billion to the United Nations Foundation and other sums to support the environment and nuclear non-proliferation.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 May 2026
The mogul, who used his massive media fortune to uplift causes, including United Nations refugee and children programs and conservation efforts, is survived by his five children, fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Ted Turner, the brash media mogul who created CNN and revolutionized how Americans watched television, and who wielded his media empire and wealth to pursue liberal global causes and land conservation, has died.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Nelson and Blanche Morris had long been known for supporting Homewood causes.
—Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
That combination improved both the trapping of unwanted intermediates and their conversion during battery operation, directly targeting the root causes of capacity fade and poor cycling stability.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
Despite the improvements in some measures, in every state where the authors were able to collect data, Black people were more likely to die early from avoidable causes than people from other racial groups.
—Anil Oza, STAT, 29 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for causes
Verb
-
As Mars pushes against Jupiter, doing too much creates confusion.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
The combination creates a vortex effect, which pulls hot ash, embers and debris into a spinning column.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Some count ratings or awards as determinants of quality, while count changes to policy and laws or special commissions of inquiry.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 May 2026
-
The Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon adopted the Indigenous determinants of health by ordinance last year, and Roth has been working with them as chairman of their executive health board to incorporate the determinants of health across their agencies.—
ANITA HOFSCHNEIDER,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The campaigns themselves continued sharpening those contrasts after the debate ended.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
Days after four Republican candidates withdrew from the upcoming Platte County election and launched independent campaigns, the county’s Republican committee announced plans to censure those candidates and deem them unwelcome within the party.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The next step is urgent implementation so this policy creates meaningful change, expands homeownership, generates city revenue, helps schools struggling with enrollment and meets housing needs without harming existing residents.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
These liquids are pumped into a central unit, where a chemical reaction generates electricity.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
With the exception of the punitive visit to the bank, Suzanna’s grandmother does not discuss her daughter’s crime or her reasons for committing it.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The government exists to create the environment where these technologies can help Californians to flourish, not limit them for sometimes political reasons, which is always overreach.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Like the republican project itself, the artistic movements of both Europe and America were a mashup of mutual influences.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The dogs [which carried the same genetic defect for LCA as humans] had the funny eye movements.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
That shift brings wiring and connectivity into greater focus within the broader conversation.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
As global warming brings shorter winters and earlier thaws, trees start flowering—and therefore producing pollen—earlier in the spring.—
Keerti Gopal,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
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 9 May. 2026.
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