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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And people later reported that summit saying, oh, Trump was threatening to leave NATO.Susan Page, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
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The actress and pro partner Brandon made it to the top of the leader board, tying with NFL star Danny Amendola. Flips, lifts, and punches, oh my!Calie Schepp, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Unfortunately, for this exact reason, the studios decided to steer clear of the second weekend of November, which means there’s nothing else to talk about.Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024
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The reasons for the increase include lifestyle issues, particularly smoking, lack of physical activity, and alcohol abuse.Jianying Zhang, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Nebraska The Cornhuskers will bring a corn maze of mystery from Lincoln, an early-season Big Ten darling that has cratered in recent weeks.Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024
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Ernst, who lives in Middleton, Wis., is the author of 20 historical novels and mysteries for young readers from American Girl, 11 books in the Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites mysteries, and nonfiction history and poetry.Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Authorities did not immediately release any other information about the man, including his identity, or offer a possible motive in the case.Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
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Although police did not disclose a potential motive, Martínez Mayen said the family believes the slaying was over money.Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
Interjection
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That frustration is understandable, but hey, so is complex trauma.Laura Bradley, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
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Sure, driving to Key West from Los Angeles is a bit out of the ordinary, but hey, why not?Geoffrey Morrison, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Interjection
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Amenities include unlimited firewood, clean bathrooms, and drinkable well water. Campfire Ranch plans to open another hut outside Crested Butte and is looking for additional Colorado locations.Margaret Jackson, The Denver Post, 13 Nov. 2024
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Last season, the inaugural in-season tournament was called, well, the NBA In-Season Tournament.Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Interjection
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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
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This critique, people looking at what’s happening in Ukraine and saying, gee, we’ve been told for the last ten years that boycott, divestment and sanctions are a terrible, illiberal idea.Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2022
Thesaurus Entries Near why
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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