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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of wherefore
Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
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
The political whys and wherefores are important — and might be left to another piece.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 14 May 2023
As in most of Tim and Eric’s sketch humor, there are few whys and wherefores.
—Austin Considine, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020
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
In addition to gleaning the why and wherefore behind America’s foundational document, teenage listeners will meet up with the Declaration of Independence and a roster of seminal Supreme Court decisions.
—Louis Bayard, New York Times, 28 May 2018
The book casts its spell in revealing the whys and wherefores of the killings, as investigated by Burke’s onetime high school classmate, Rob Barrett, a Boston FBI agent whom Burke likes nothing better than to humiliate.
—Lloyd Sachs, chicagotribune.com, 21 May 2018
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
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
The political whys and wherefores are important — and might be left to another piece.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 14 May 2023
As in most of Tim and Eric’s sketch humor, there are few whys and wherefores.
—Austin Considine, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2020
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
In addition to gleaning the why and wherefore behind America’s foundational document, teenage listeners will meet up with the Declaration of Independence and a roster of seminal Supreme Court decisions.
—Louis Bayard, New York Times, 28 May 2018
The book casts its spell in revealing the whys and wherefores of the killings, as investigated by Burke’s onetime high school classmate, Rob Barrett, a Boston FBI agent whom Burke likes nothing better than to humiliate.
—Lloyd Sachs, chicagotribune.com, 21 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefore
Adverb
-
Death by firing squad is considered by some to be the quickest, most instantaneous and therefore least painful way to put a person to death.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Jan. 2025
-
The former president’s sweeping and even preemptive pardons subvert ongoing legal processes and, therefore, the law.—
Noah Rothman,
National Review,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
With extraordinary assets on the leading edge of American ingenuity — like U.S. Cyber Command, federal labs and world-class universities — there is no reason why Maryland shouldn’t already lead these areas.—
Wes Moore,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Jan. 2025
-
Considering the upcoming free-agent class, there is no reason to be optimistic unless the Steelers can sign the best quarterback available.—
Antwan Staley,
Orlando Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Trendy purses, jeans, and dresses are also chef’s kiss, according to Brittany Mahomes, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mindy Kaling, so keep scrolling to score styles from $17 now.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Everything went off so well that the police superintendent was convinced the theft involved someone on the inside.—
Teresa Nowakowski,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
There’s got to be a why.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
29 Mar. 2023
-
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
Adverb
-
The short answer is that water molecules absorb much more red light than blue light, owing to the different vibrations of hydrogen and oxygen ions, and thus the water in your pool appears blue.—
John McPhee,
The New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2025
-
More than 40,000 acres of Southern California has burned thus far.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The motive was still being investigated Friday, police said.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
18 Jan. 2025
-
No cartel faction has claimed responsibility, nor have any messages been left at the scene to indicate the motive.—
Keegan Hamilton,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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