as in therefore
for this or that reason
it was getting late, and wherefore we decided to move on
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in reason
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
demanded to know the whys and wherefores for the decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wherefore
Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025
But none of those 265 pages of wherefores and whereases on the sports authority website are legally binding.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023
Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores.
—Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023
Julian Fellowes, a master writer who understands so well all the peculiarities of time and place, manners and historical significance of the whys and wherefores of his fictional inhabitants, is to be applauded.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2019
Adverb
The musicians, especially but not exclusively Jerry Garcia, whose death in 1995 only technically ended the Dead, prove remarkably articulate about the why and wherefore of their music and the group mind that created it.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
For one thing: we are reminded of the American purpose, our whys and wherefores.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025
But none of those 265 pages of wherefores and whereases on the sports authority website are legally binding.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023
Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores.
—Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023
Julian Fellowes, a master writer who understands so well all the peculiarities of time and place, manners and historical significance of the whys and wherefores of his fictional inhabitants, is to be applauded.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefore
Adverb
-
Always assume an electric line, even one that is on or near the ground, is energized and therefore dangerous.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
In them, collisions are too gentle, leaving their dark matter unexcited and therefore incapable of annihilation.—
Paul M. Sutter,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The assassination attempt failed — and Hinckley was arrested, tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
McCollum’s line was one of the biggest reasons the game never got complicated.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
What is so special, then, about the Attenborovian age, given that it’s measured in mere decades?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
And so the collective angst caused by powerful outsiders, industry, and the state united Sardinians into a singular cause.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Searching for a reason The time since, with no other winners in the city, has left plenty of room for those in the business to guess at a why.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Every character is fully developed and has a why, and every backstory is so rich.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
And that state budget would presumably include $150 million to rebuild Hillsborough College, thus paving the way for the new stadium and mixed-use development on the current campus site.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
For example, eating wholegrain or whole wheat breads will give you more fiber, and thus are more nutritious, when compared to types of bread that have very little fiber or nutrients.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Prosecutors hadn’t even offered a motive to connect him to the shooting.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The motive remains unclear, though state media reported the man left documents behind at the courthouse outlining his grievances.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Witnesses told Onmanorama the elephant recklessly wandered around the temple grounds, ramming into the sides of houses and flipping scooters, as officials attempted to control the situation.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
-
Rules and specifics vary with each game, but it is usually organized by graduating seniors in high school and is played off school grounds.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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