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
-
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
Noun
-
While scientists have long observed this liquid-to-solid transformation, the exact molecular link that converts these fluid droplets into a high-performance final structure has remained a mystery until now.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Ward said her mother was fascinated with the mystery of Amelia Earhart, and that fascination turned into countless trips to air shows and museums.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
Interjection
-
But no, none of the preplanetary nebulae that are known, including the spectacular Egg Nebula, are representative of what the Sun’s final stages will look like.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But no, there can only be one On Fire podcaster.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 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
Interjection
-
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
-
This might feel limiting for guests used to a sprawl of spaces and activities, but hey, there’s always the entirety of New York to wander through.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Interjection
-
The opening ceremony is always, well, celebratory — the athletes are excited to represent their countries, the crowds watching in person and around the world are excited for the competitions to come.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
7 Feb. 2026
-
And whether Bianco actually heeds Hilton’s call to drop out of the race, well, that’s a bit of a long shot, election observers said.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
7 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 15 Feb. 2026.
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