as in therefore
for this or that reason
it was getting late, and wherefore we decided to move on
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in reason
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
demanded to know the whys and wherefores for the decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wherefore
Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025
But none of those 265 pages of wherefores and whereases on the sports authority website are legally binding.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023
Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores.
—Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023
Julian Fellowes, a master writer who understands so well all the peculiarities of time and place, manners and historical significance of the whys and wherefores of his fictional inhabitants, is to be applauded.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2019
Adverb
The musicians, especially but not exclusively Jerry Garcia, whose death in 1995 only technically ended the Dead, prove remarkably articulate about the why and wherefore of their music and the group mind that created it.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
For one thing: we are reminded of the American purpose, our whys and wherefores.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025
But none of those 265 pages of wherefores and whereases on the sports authority website are legally binding.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Eschewing cheap shots, McBride favors a careful, winding excavation – reaching into history for the whys and wherefores of his novels’ crowded casts, while delivering whopper stories with electric finales.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023
Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores.
—Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023
Julian Fellowes, a master writer who understands so well all the peculiarities of time and place, manners and historical significance of the whys and wherefores of his fictional inhabitants, is to be applauded.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefore
Adverb
-
Dairy Dairy, such as cheese, milk, and eggs, does not contain connective tissue and, therefore, has no collagen.—
Angela Ryan Lee,
Verywell Health,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Ferns will require moist soil to thrive and therefore will not do well in a terra-cotta pot, Madeline Hooper, creator, executive producer, and host of GardenFit Productions, LLC, explains.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Gordon pointed to a January study published in the journal Science as highlighting the reason behind the decline in overdose deaths.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
My sense is that the reason for this disconnect—the loss of power that faith traditions and philosophies once had to influence progressive movements—is that so much of it is digital now.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Vrabel was also able to see a perfect 9-0 record on the road, including the playoffs, becoming the first NFL team in history to do so.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Our practices may change from time to time, so please check back here periodically to review our latest policy.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Every character is fully developed and has a why, and every backstory is so rich.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Build your own opportunities, document your journey, and stay rooted in your why.—
Zoya Hasan,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Adverb
-
Brazil thus ceased to be a peripheral observer of this geopolitical playbook and became its active protagonist, setting the stage for the doctrine’s most devastating domestic application.—
Evandro Cruz Silva,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Instead of focusing on common gases like water vapor or carbon monoxide, the scientists searched for sulfur-bearing molecules — elements that typically begin as solid grains in a young protoplanetary disk and thus suggest the planet formed through core accretion, according to the statement.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Cops did not publicly speculate on the motive for the attack.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Neither the company nor Mexican authorities have commented on what a possible motive could be.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the days after the Bondi Beach massacre – allegedly committed by a father and son who had embraced Islamic State ideology – the government announced sweeping new gun laws, tougher rules on hate speech, and stronger powers for the home affairs minister to cancel visas on character grounds.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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Beyond the number of cillíní and burial sites uncovered, the practices surrounding these unconsecrated grounds reveal a complex emotional landscape marked by grief, shame, and trauma, according to the press release.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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