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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of why
Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
Jared Keller, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2019
And the why is that it’s, unfortunately, human nature that has presented itself in so many, many ways.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 13 July 2018
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
Worst of all, the cult of lethality attempts to divorce the how of killing from the why, an insane proposition given that military force is deployed in the service of political outcomes.
—Jared Keller, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2019
And the why is that it’s, unfortunately, human nature that has presented itself in so many, many ways.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 13 July 2018
See all Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
Interjection
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Fact checked by Sarah Scott Mom-of-three Mandy Moore is oh so relatable.Melissa Willets, Parents, 27 Nov. 2024
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But oh, whatever happened to the wisdom of the Beatles’ joy?Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Monaco Monaco may be known for its glamorous casino and exhilarating Grand Prix, but the world’s second-smallest country (after Vatican City) offers other reasons to visit.Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
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However, after the loss to Miami, there are some reasons for optimism.Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Mamet is essentially playing a variation on her character from The Flight Attendant: the steadfast and focused best friend who’s better equipped to solve the mystery than our heroine.Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2024
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What's New The and local police have launched an investigation after a number of mystery drones were spotted over White Settlement, a suburb of Fort Worth in Texas which houses a major naval base.James Bickerton, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Police are still hunting for the man suspected of killing Brian Thompson, chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, and have not determined a motive.Stephanie Kelly and Julie Steenhuysen, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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Five days on, the gunman's name, whereabouts, or motive for the are all still unknown killing.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Interjection
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Those characters were mostly Final Fantasy 7's Tifa and Like a Dragon's Kiryu, but hey, Clive is almost like one of those, being from Final Fantasy.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
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Like, hey, that promising Tinder match did mention a recent breakup.Julia Ries, SELF, 12 Dec. 2024
Interjection
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Fruity is often used to describe aromas or flavors of, well, fruit in a sparkling wine.Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 9 Dec. 2024
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Without that, well, Pornhub’s next chapter is nothing more than a dream.Jason Parham, WIRED, 9 Dec. 2024
Interjection
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Well, gee, does Florida have to lead the United States in ridiculous?Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2024
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With this approach, some jokes land firmly, some flop, some coast on everything else being funny and some start to annoy you because, gee, isn’t anybody ever taking anything seriously?Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near why
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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