CAUSES Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

causes

2 of 2

noun

plural of cause

as in determinants

someone or something responsible for a result the much-debated causes of the war

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in campaigns

a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal joined the freedom fighters' cause as a young man

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of causes

Verb

At night, the fibromyalgia causes Lukas to wake up crying from muscle aches. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026 Postmortem studies have shown that Huntington’s causes a specific type of striatal neurons—the cells that send signals around the brain and nervous system—to be lost. — Claudia Metzler-Baddeley, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2026 Economists once again think economic growth causes prices to rise. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Dandruff typically causes thicker, oilier, and sometimes yellow flakes. — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2026 Mail and Paper Piles Leaving mail and stacks of paper on coffee tables, console tables, and end tables is distracting and causes a conflict between relaxation and productive tasks, which Lee notes are two things that don't go together. — Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026 Melanoma accounts for just 1% of skin cancer cases but causes the majority of skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 18 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

Noun

No deaths have been reported, and authorities are investigating the causes of the outbreaks. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026 Parton also made an effort to contribute to causes such as child literacy with her Imagination Library program, which mails a free age-appropriate book to children every month from birth to fifth grade. — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026 But the symptoms of low testosterone—such as low energy and low libido—are common as people age and may have all sorts of causes, according to the Endocrine Society. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026 And one of the most common causes is a problem with the meibomian glands, the oil glands in the eyelids that keep tears from drying up too fast. — Maria Godoy, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026 Meghan settled into royal life with a growing slate of charitable causes and public engagements, while Harry was juggling his own duties as the Duke of Sussex. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2026 Engelbert's legacy The league has historically positioned itself as more than a sports organization, taking strong positions on racial justice, reproductive rights, LGBTQ issues and other divisive, left-wing social causes. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Bale and Steinem met through activism During his lifetime, Bale worked for various causes, primarily social equality and animal rights. — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 The finding matters because hemorrhoids affect quality of life, work and mental well-being for millions, and the causes go beyond diet or straining alone. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for causes

Verb

Alexander runs the deep crosser from the slot, which creates the high-low read to the boundary.

— Dane Brugler, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Jenkins said technology is changing quickly, which creates a challenge for both parents and law enforcement.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of creates

Noun

In their perspective published Saturday in the New England Journal of Medicine, a veterinarian and an oncologist quickly point out the social determinants of health at play in this scenario.

— Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 31 Aug. 2026
One of us is a social epidemiologist who studies the social and structural determinants of health, and the other is a prevention scientist who studies risk and protective factors among young people.

— Jonathan Wright, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of determinants

Noun

But this was one of the most dominant individual campaigns in a season where collective effort won the biggest titles.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
In the letter, business groups took issue with third parties administering worker training, arguing that labor groups could use them to prime the workforce for union campaigns.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of campaigns

Verb

The interplay between players and their coaches often generates some of the most dramatic viewing moments of a tennis match.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Once on site, the company generates a three-dimensional model and compares it with the architectural plans.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of generates

Noun

And there might be strategic reasons to hold Luzardo back for a potential Game 3.

— Matt Gelb, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
The move is striking for a number of reasons, ranging from the existing budget disparities between the two parties involved to the fact that the money would be used for projects that the current NIH leadership has explicitly rejected.

— John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of reasons

Noun

Neither of those movements were recorded as dribbles by Opta, but his final flourish past Rohl in the 64th minute did get classed as one.

— Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Over the past century, feminist movements in France have also successfully pioneered campaigns for women’s suffrage, reproductive rights and greater gender equality.

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026