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
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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
Interjection
-
The short answer from experts is yes and no, and the difference matters.
-
What’s Chicago going to do, say no, and risk losing him in free agency next summer?
Noun
-
There are good reasons to do so again, though as contenders acquiring young talent is not a necessity for the Pacers.
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However, Gen Zers also cited reasons for not finding such meaning.
Noun
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The delightful and deceptively deep family mystery comedy stars Hugh Jackman as an English shepherd (Hugh Jackman) who is found dead.
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Exactly what to expect from Toney, who most received the title of EA Sports College Football 27 cover athlete, remains a bit of mystery.
Interjection
-
But, again, compared to a halfway decent gym or, hey, one of Equinox’s $40,000 a year memberships, even pricey adjustable dumbbells can feel like an absolute bargain.
-
But hey, the factory workers do finally get their pizza party during the credits!
Noun
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Authorities have not announced a possible motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.
-
Police said the motive and circumstances surrounding the episode are under investigation.
Interjection
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With the trucks, at least, the administration has been able to take its preferred version of the American story on the road, where history is more, well, movable.
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For whatever reason, sneakers that can handle 20,000 steps tend to be, well, ugly.
Noun
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She's credited with creating a conservation movement in southern Lebanon that protected sea turtle nesting grounds and southern Lebanon's Mediterranean coast.
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In 2019, as Scientific American reported at the time, researchers discovered that some poison frog dads may travel as far as 400 meters (or about a quarter of a mile) in an apparent search for ideal nursery grounds.
Interjection
-
Oh gee, is that supposed to be me in the video with the goatee?
-
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.
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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