wherefore 1 of 2

adverb

ˈ(h)wer-ˌfȯr How to pronounce wherefore (audio)
Definition of whereforenext
as in therefore
for this or that reason it was getting late, and wherefore we decided to move on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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wherefore

2 of 2

noun

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

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 wherefore
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
The whole process should be audited to determine the whys and wherefores of the delays and budget increases. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026 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 Soccer, though, did not waste time wondering about the whys and wherefores. — Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023 The political whys and wherefores are important — and might be left to another piece. — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 14 May 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
  1. therefore
  2. reason
  3. so
  4. why
  5. thus
  6. motive
  7. grounds
Adverb
  • The rationale, according to the officials familiar with the conversation, was that continuing assistance to Gaza’s civilians gave Hamas something to lose and therefore gave Israel a measure of leverage over the group.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Nearly two-thirds of young households therefore did not own an asset that accounted for a substantial share of homeowners’ wealth.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of therefore
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
Adverb
  • Is there a future for the kinds of musical deja vu the Avalanches are so adept at evoking?
    — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The state had planned to phase in its school-funding formula over several years, so the $700 million gap can’t simply be blamed on EdChoice.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of so
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, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
Definition of why
Adverb
  • NBCUniversal is a logical target, given that the company will be spun out from Comcast next year and thus would make for a much smaller and more manageable acquisition than the entirety of Comcast.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Cash reserves totaling $ 7,450,869 are being used to eviscerate his opponent with a vicious barrage of ad hominem assaults, thus giving him a 61 to 1 spending edge.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of thus
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
Noun
  • Just like their first Beverly Hills abode, the home was complete with resort-like grounds.
    — Juliana Ukiomogbe, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In contrast, peregrine falcons that breed in Alaska migrate almost directly south, dispersing across the Americas to wintering grounds that extend as far as southern South America.
    — Amy L. Scarpignato, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of grounds

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Cite this Entry

“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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