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
Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2022
Cain opines on the why-and-how of private mega-yachts, which have grown mind-bogglingly massive (such as the 533-foot-long Eclipse, replete with submarine, owned by Russian business mogul Roman Abramovich).
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2021
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
The show never aims its considerable wit and girl power vibe to get a firm grip on the troubling tributaries that flow just underneath the why-ness of the show: These women, nobility be damned, are one and all inextricably tied to a fundamentally-flawed man.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2022
Cain opines on the why-and-how of private mega-yachts, which have grown mind-bogglingly massive (such as the 533-foot-long Eclipse, replete with submarine, owned by Russian business mogul Roman Abramovich).
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
Interjection
-
Uh oh, has the firefighter moved on and found love with someone new?—
Vlada Gelman,
TVLine,
13 Apr. 2025
-
And oh, the power play Imagine a recent season in which the Rangers, in a tie game, get three power plays over the final 9:14 of regulation, including a 24-second five-on-three.—
Arthur Staple,
New York Times,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The reason for the independence, the Brookings Institution explains, is that politicians tend to want lower interest rates because lower rates stimulate the economy.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
-
The reason for the increase in the Tigers’ team score came after a review of Mizzou’s third rotation — balance beam.—
Henry Chappell,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The observatory, which is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, is designed to scrutinize the solar atmosphere and the sun's magnetic field for tiny features that might reveal answers to some of the fundamental solar mysteries.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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For a sci-fi/mystery/comedy, that’s no small thing.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The motive is obvious: give third-year quarterback Bryce Young as many weapons as possible while hoping the 2023 No. 1 pick continues to revive his career after an awful rookie season and last year’s benching.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
His assailant ran off and a motive for the attack still isn’t clear as police continue searching for the suspect.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2025
Interjection
-
Having said that, hey did a good job building anticipation toward that moment.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
The woman who is dealing with the literal fallout from the incident is Louise Maske (Lyndsy Kail), insisting that hey, no big whoop.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
Interjection
-
For a weekend away from the city, Comfort offers, well, comfort, in the form of a slower pace.—
Amanda Ogle,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2025
-
That’s where Williams can, well, set himself apart.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Interjection
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Google Users Express Anger Over Data Loss Well, gee, thanks Google.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
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And gee if there were only a very effective way of preventing the measles.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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