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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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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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

Time away from work to vote should be taken at the beginning or end of a shift — whichever causes the least disruption to the workday — unless the employer and employee agree on another arrangement. — Sacbee.com, 1 Nov. 2026 Researchers are still working out exactly how the parasite causes this change, but studies have found changes in proteins in the host’s brain as the parasite manipulates it. — Tara Deans, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026 This position causes the moonlight to pass through a denser layer of air, shortening blue and violet wavelengths and making the orange and red ones stand out — similar to a sunset. — Dharma Niles, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 Yet in September, Bangladesh reported a daily average of 1,198 new cases of measles, which causes a high fever, cough and telltale rash. — Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 The organization’s focus areas are education, jobs and livelihood, and health—causes she’s cared about deeply since childhood. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 An April report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked nearly 17,000 Shigella samples, which causes Shigellosis, which and can bring on diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, collected between 2011 and 2023. — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026 Plus, an infected deer tick must keep its harpoon-like feeding tube in the bloodstream for 36 to 48 hours to transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. — Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Instead, excess testosterone is converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes the hair follicles to become smaller and then the hair strands to become thinner. — Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026

Noun

As a California lawyer, she was involved in high-profile causes, including a legal fight over that state's stay-at-home order during the coronavirus pandemic. — Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026 Business outcomes have many causes, and organizations should be cautious about attributing every improvement to AI. — Subha Barry, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026 Dark circles, dull skin and a tired complexion can be a result of many other causes, including genetics, hormonal changes, dehydration, stress, and poor sleep. — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2026 Autopsies for the four victims performed on Friday were inconclusive, with the causes and manner of death pending further review, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 Within a year it had been pulled into a dozen other causes, some adjacent and some invented. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2026 Honeycutt drew attention before the election for reaching out to Democrats on common causes. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026 What still isn’t known Gaps remain in understanding the root causes of bullying of faculty. — Jason Walker, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2026 The Hurts episode is an apt reminder of why the organization seeks to educate the public more about symptoms and causes. — Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for causes

Verb

Their activity creates a growing stream of branch updates, code reviews, merges, and repository downloads.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
Proposition 40 creates a one-time, 5% tax on Californians whose net worth exceeds $1 billion.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of creates

Noun

Many of those outcomes can be attributed to social determinants of health, like affordability, care access and transportation.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
Callender spearheaded a sprawling new vision for Memorial Hermann that focused on addressing social determinants of health, or the social and economic conditions that influence individual and community health.

— Julian Gill, Houston Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of determinants

Noun

Neither Castillo nor Hershey have filed required ethics reports, or reported fundraising, signs their campaigns lack broad support and have not broadly engaged voters.

— Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
Their race started off heated again in 2026, with the campaigns trading claims over Bradley’s position on the legislation named for the Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s light rail in 2025.

— Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of campaigns

Verb

McKenzie declined to share how much revenue the company generates on an annual basis.

— Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Reactors use a different fuel recipe The Sun primarily generates energy through the proton–proton chain, a sequence that ultimately converts hydrogen into helium.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of generates

Noun

LaFountain and another lawyer who did not want to be named out of fear of retribution for their clients said Bridgeport’s probate court denies cases for reasons beyond the requirements.

— Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
That fear, coupled with the fact that ICE has been showing up in religious spaces across the country, are the main reasons why the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is encouraging rabbis to take the poll chaplain training, said Pesner.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of reasons

Noun

An open bridge on top of the sail could accommodate a pilot during harbor movements.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
Measure what got shipped, not how many hours a screen stayed unlocked or what the sheer activity is, which is based on keystrokes and mouse movements.

— Adithyan RK, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of movements

Verb

Brooklinen and Boll & Branch have breathable everyday essentials covered, while Nickey Kehoe brings a more playful approach to bedding with colorful patterns and unexpected designs.

— Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
This year also brings the return of the Dubai Sail Grand Prix, with high-speed catamarans racing off the city’s coastline, while HYROX Dubai will see athletes tackle a grueling combination of running and functional fitness challenges.

— Scott Campbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026