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
-
Lawmakers in New Mexico also cited the intense immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota as a reason to limit cooperation with ICE.—
David A. Lieb,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
While Western thought often separates the two, in Chinese culture, emotion and reason are more deeply intertwined.—
Precious Adesina,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The small museum, which opened last year, covers the creatures, apparitions and mysteries eluding prosaic explanation.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
There’s no charm, mystery, or wit to it.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
19 Feb. 2026
Interjection
-
Wait, no, that’s Braves righty Hurston Waldrep.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
18 Feb. 2026
-
So, no, money doesn’t feel like a burden.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Bree suddenly understands why Lucy's motive and tries to support her, but her life starts to fall apart, and she gets expelled from Baird.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Sullivan said the motive was under investigation, including whether members of Congress were the target.—
Gary Fields,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Fresh coffee grounds can help absorb unwanted odors.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The federal investigators encountered puddles of crude oil on the facility grounds, as well as caustic fumes emanating from the facility, resulting in violations for air quality and other environmental infractions.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Interjection
-
But hey, curling doesn’t even have that.—
Caleb Harris,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
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But hey, this was the '90s, when being weird for weird's sake was a thing, and a creepy animatronic penguin lurking in the shadows and terrorizing humans in a variety of '90s-ish noir settings is definitely that.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
Interjection
-
There’s a lot to love about Chipotle—well a lot less than there used to be, but still a lot to love.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Now making a rice casserole in a skillet, well, that's a different story.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 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 21 Feb. 2026.
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