as in oh
how surprising, doubtful, or unbelievable
why, what a strange thing to say! why, that's not possible!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in reason
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
asked the whys behind the surprising decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
how one decides that a certain person is "the one" is one of the great whys of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 why
Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
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
See All Example Sentences for why
Interjection
Why, oh why, do the Rangers keep throwing away almost certain victories in the final minutes of playoff games?
—Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
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, 29 Mar. 2026
Every character is fully developed and has a why, and every backstory is so rich.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
Noun
-
While the dormant transmission line had been long out of use, there are many reasons to keep it from being dismantled, including growth in the region, Dunleavy said.—
Tony Saavedra,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
However, Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins dismissed the claims, citing procedural reasons.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
While the exact methods remain a mystery, Clarke and colleagues believe the Altar Stone was almost certainly moved in stages, possibly through a combination of overland and river travel routes.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
-
But the possibility of an epochal discovery that radically changes our understanding of the universe’s history and solves one of the greatest mysteries in modern astrophysics is too alluring to ignore.—
Jonathan O'Callaghan,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Interjection
-
And no, the book wasn’t a prop, said Michael Arnold, grandson of the photographer who died in 2012.—
Sheena McKenzie,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
Turns out Porter voted over the weekend, in Newport Beach, which has a nice ironic ring to it, no?—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The Sheriff’s Office did not release any details about a motive or what might have led to the fatal shooting.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
-
Critics, however, have questioned the administration’s motives behind the new division given that fraud was already prosecuted by the agency’s Criminal Division, which last year announced the largest coordinated takedown of healthcare fraud schemes in Justice Department history.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
But the Federal Trade Commission sued to block the deal on antitrust grounds, which led Edgewell to walk away from the acquisition.—
Amelia Lucas,Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
-
Over the years, the garden has produced epic shows, mostly through its process of scattering the work of such art celebrities as Dale Chihuly, Alexander Calder and Deborah Butterfield among the famous flora planted in its grounds on York Street.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Interjection
-
But hey, at least Glory gets to go home.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
-
But hey, there’s stuff that Jose Siri can do that the other Siri can’t.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Interjection
-
Perhaps not surprisingly, interest in fuel-efficient gas/electric hybrid- and full-electric powered vehicles is becoming, well, electrified.—
Jim Gorzelany,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2026
-
The piece has to throb and, well, that is not the first verb that comes to mind in director Jonathan Butterell’s production, with all due respect for the sincerity of the effort and the intermittent effectiveness of the storytelling.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
Interjection
-
Oh gee, is that supposed to be me in the video with the goatee?—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
As the spigot closed, inflation spiked (gee, maybe there’s a connection?) and the economy slowed, the state budget went from a whopping surplus to stubborn deficits.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
