why
adverb
, ËwÄ«\
Definition of why
(Entry 1 of 4)
why
conjunctionDefinition of why (Entry 2 of 4)
why
nounDefinition of why (Entry 3 of 4)
why
interjectionDefinition of why (Entry 4 of 4)
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Synonyms for why
Synonyms: Noun
account, authority, grounds, motive, reason, subject, wherefore
Synonyms: Interjection
ah, aha, come on, fie, indeed, my word, no, pshaw, well, what
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Examples of why in a Sentence
Adverb
Why did you quit your job? Why is the sky blue? Why didn't you call me? Why didn't I think of that? âI can't go out tonight.â âWhy not?âConjunction
I know why he did it. It's easy to see why she fell in love with him. He's a very good player. That's why he made the team. The reason why they succeeded is obvious. They worked really hard. Give me one good reason why I should stay.Noun
asked the whys behind the surprising decision how one decides that a certain he or she is âthe oneâ is one of the great whys of lifeInterjection
why, what a strange thing to say!
Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
This is one reason why fewer than half of kakapo eggs hatch. — The Economist, "How eugenics is saving a pudgy parrot," 31 Aug. 2019 Doctors do not know why some adults â more females than males â are developing allergies nor is there any treatment beyond avoidance. — Kay Manning, chicagotribune.com, "Adult-onset food allergies are becoming more common, with women most at risk," 30 Aug. 2019 On Thursday, students were mixed on why attendance at their tailgate was so low. — Jonah Dylan, courant.com, "Not much opening-game tailgating going on in UConn student section," 30 Aug. 2019 Taking all that into account, thereâs no arguing with Showlerâs assessment, but the story does raise the question of why CĂ©line still has such relevance after all these years. — Fortune, "CĂ©line Dion Is Having a Moment: The Broadsheet," 30 Aug. 2019 Even though the overall global population is expected to keep growing for another 80 years, more and more of it will be made up of older people, which may be why Musk dismissed immigration as a possible solution. — Echo Huang, Quartz, "Jack Ma and Elon Musk are pretty worried about a looming population collapse," 29 Aug. 2019 Thatâs why, about a decade ago, several institutions moved to remake their campus tours. — Adam Harris, The Atlantic, "The Fine Line Campus Tour Guides WalkâBackwards," 29 Aug. 2019 Just like facial acne, there are a number of reasons why acne pops up on your scalp: stress, hormonal balances, certain foods, and abnormal immune responses can all be contributing factors. — Janell Hickman, Allure, "Everything You Need to Know About Scalp Acne," 28 Aug. 2019 So why are our estimates of plant extinction so low? — Commentary, Quartz Africa, "Plants are going extinct up to 350 times faster than the historical norm," 24 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Questioning the who-what-where-why-how is paramount. — The Conversation, "Confused about what to eat? Science can help," 5 July 2019 And the why is that itâs, unfortunately, human nature that has presented itself in so many, many ways. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "Precious possessions: The genocide survivors who kept them tell their stories," 13 July 2018 Businesses and individuals are expected to operate within this principle - why shouldnât government as well? — Jason Lewis, BostonGlobe.com, "Should the Legislature revive the push for a millionaires tax?," 5 July 2018 Makes perfect sense in a why-has-no-one-ever-thought-of-that-before way, no? — Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, "Meet Your Next K-Beauty Obsession: Cushion Eyeliner," 2 Oct. 2015 For many in Westbury, not knowing the how or the why of this homicide case haunts them. — CBS News, "Police probe killing of Binghamton University nursing student," 12 Mar. 2018 The following story, about the how and the why, was pieced together using Austinâs own words. — Keith Bierygolick, Cincinnati.com, "A school shooter, in his own words: 'I wasn't wanted by anyone'," 23 Feb. 2018 Once the why-does-this-take-so-long process of deboarding finishes, the NAU contingent wanders from A to B (gates) of Terminal 4. — Joel Odom, OregonLive.com, "Portland State Vikings complete comeback, top Idaho State," 19 Jan. 2018 But the why of space in its economic context is just as importantâmaybe even more so. — Ed Finn, Slate Magazine, "Space Is Not a Void," 14 Dec. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Interjection
And why, oh why, canât this administration get anything, even a pair of shoes, right? — Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, "Melania Trumpâs Hurricane Stilettos, and the White Houseâs Continual Failure to Understand Optics," 29 Aug. 2017 And why, oh why, did my friend have to play back-alley obstetrician? — Shannon Boodram, Cosmopolitan, "Read the Fictional Orgasm Essay Jane Wrote on The Bold Type," 3 Aug. 2017 Then why, oh why, make the misguided choice of inviting a political propagandist whose rantings are regularly available on radio, YouTube and any dark den of far-right Internet conspiracy? — Lorraine Ali, latimes.com, "The uproar over the Megyn Kelly interview with Alex Jones shows her, and NBC's, lack of news judgment," 12 June 2017 Why, oh why, do the Rangers keep throwing away almost certain victories in the final minutes of playoff games? — Filip Bondy, New York Times, "Trying to Prevent a Third Loss, Rangers Embrace Second-Guessing," 30 Apr. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'why.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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