wherefores

noun

plural of wherefore
as in reasons
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefores
  1. reasons
  2. motives
Noun
  • The reasons why the world is turning up its nose at oil are complex.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • For a variety of reasons, three intriguing All-Stars — the Colorado Rockies’ Hunter Goodman, Athletics’ Shea Langeliers and Baltimore Orioles switch-hitter Adley Rutschman — are less likely to move.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of reasons
Noun
  • Details about potential motives for the attack were not immediately released.
    — Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 26 July 2026
  • Trouble is, the place is haunted by racist ghosts (Stranger Things’ Brett Gelman and Ari Dayan) with dark motives of their own.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 July 2026
Definition of motives
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.

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wherefore
wherefores
wherein
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Cite this Entry

“Wherefores.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefores. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wherefores

Nglish: Translation of wherefores for Spanish Speakers

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