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
Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
The why: Has top-of-rotation skills and potential, is healthy and — unlike most other starters — won’t be subject to much in the way of workload restrictions.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 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
Build your own opportunities, document your journey, and stay rooted in your why.
—Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
The why: Has top-of-rotation skills and potential, is healthy and — unlike most other starters — won’t be subject to much in the way of workload restrictions.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
Noun
-
New romance is a reason to celebrate!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The future of legal sports betting States that have not yet legalized sports betting may still see similar trends in financial insecurity for reasons beyond spillover effects.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The mystery sound rose and fell over the course of one minute.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Reports of a mystery rocket seen launching from Cape Canaveral on Thursday could be another hypersonic missile test for the Department of Defense.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Interjection
-
His decision to vote no, however, was more about the land’s future potential value.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
-
As macabre as this sounds, who better to kill off than somebody that everybody would go, ‘Oh no, not him’?—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The sheriff said investigators would interview the parents of the 15-year-old shooter, who showed up at the reunification point, to learn more about how the teenager obtained a gun and a possible motive.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Details of a motive have not been released, but investigators said the case involved a domestic dispute.—
Mark Price
April 1,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Because she was not permitted on school grounds and not authorized to take the student off school property, she was charged with felony kidnapping.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Trains, buses and the Metrorail will drop fans off at the Miami Intermodal Center, which is adjacent to Miami International Airport and across the street from the stadium grounds.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Interjection
-
But, hey – two weeks from now, others will have to accommodate you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
-
But hey, 64-year-old Curt Cignetti won one for the gimpers in January.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Interjection
-
And, how fast will gas prices and, well, everything else, go up?—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
And center Jake Slaughter was, well, as stoic as the All-American has ever been.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 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 2 Apr. 2026.
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