why 1 of 2

interjection

Definition of whynext
as in oh
how surprising, doubtful, or unbelievable why, what a strange thing to say! why, that's not possible!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

why

2 of 2

noun

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
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
To use this tool requires bravery, vulnerability and honest insights into your why. — Joanna Horton McPherson, Forbes.com, 7 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
  1. oh
  2. reason
  3. mystery
  4. no
  5. motive
  6. hey
  7. grounds
  8. well
Interjection
  • Certain movements may aggravate the pain, such as, oh, swinging a golf club.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • Some people think, oh, the show’s about true romance, true love conquering it all.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 8 June 2026
Definition of oh
Noun
  • All the more reason for leaders to play the generosity sweepstakes in ways that are advantageous to them.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For that reason, Everett’s proposal is known as the Many Worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of reason
Noun
  • But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Genres run from crime thrillers and detective mysteries to folklore horror, social and courtroom drama, and romance.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of mystery
Interjection
  • When opportunities arose to expand into other sporting goods, other mechanical components, other markets entirely, the answer was consistently no.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Seeing the social media reaction to Murphy's absurdist comments, the answer to that is, of course, no because underdog narratives, no matter how fake, are still immensely popular.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of no
Noun
  • Officials, developers and their architects and engineers have either declined to comment or questioned the researchers’ motives while assuring the public that the buildings are safe.
    — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Police have not verified either claim, and no motive has been established.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of motive
Interjection
  • Like, hey, here is Match Window 14, and here are the fixtures for that match week.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • There are no dates or prices available for the USA at this point, but hey, there's always the 675SS, which now sells for an equally outrageous US$7,499.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of hey
Noun
  • The column warns that the disputes could extend beyond the election, potentially providing grounds to challenge results or undermine their legitimacy.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The park is just part of a 247-acre property, owned by Ada County, that also hosts the Western Idaho Fair grounds and the Boise Hawks baseball stadium.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of grounds
Interjection
  • As for the people who still want to knock rock and roll down a peg and claim the Nobel Prize made a grave error in judgement with their 2016 winner, well, Riley has just one thing to say.
    — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The test well was also just 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide, compared to oil, gas, and onshore geothermal wells that typically have casings 20 to 36 inches (51 to 91 centimeters) across.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of well

Browse Nearby Words

whups
why
whys
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of emissary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All