the whys and (the) wherefores

plural noun

: the reasons for something
She explained the whys and the wherefores of the sudden price increase.

Examples of the whys and (the) wherefores in a Sentence

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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.
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

Browse Nearby Words

the (whole) world over
the whys and (the) wherefores
the wild
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“The whys and (the) wherefores.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20whys%20and%20%28the%29%20wherefores. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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