wherefore 1 of 2

as in therefore
for this or that reason it was getting late, and wherefore we decided to move on

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wherefore

2 of 2

noun

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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of wherefore
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
For one thing: we are reminded of the American purpose, our whys and wherefores. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefore
Adverb
  • Maria Nila Head & Hair Heal Soothing Serum $30 Nordstrom $30 Amazon Hussein applying the Maria Nila Head & Hair Heal Soothing Serum Jennifer Hussein Just like my hair, my scalp is dry and, therefore, frequently flaky.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The business elites vying to get into the Trump 2.0 court should therefore think twice.
    Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The Fire were without standout striker Mallory Swanson, out for personal reasons.
    Theo Lloyd-Hughes, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Students can avoid getting the shot for medical and religious reasons.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • Strong winds are occurring but are not so strong as to warrant a High wind warning.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Okay, so how do these prebiotic drinks stack up against diet sodas, which contain 0 grams of sugar?
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • There are times when the in-platform optimizations are taken advantage of yet there is no alignment internally between leadership and the execution teams as to the why, what and when.
    Barbara Puszkiewicz-Cimino, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • There’s got to be a why.
    Vulture, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2023
Adverb
  • Thursday featured more time on the main track, including race restarts that provided the closest thing to legit wheel-to-wheel of my life thus far.
    Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Gastineau is a member of the Jets Ring of Honor, but thus far has been failed to win entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In a letter distributed by the Shin Bet, Bar dismissed the claim and said the motives behind his firing were baseless.
    Rachel Wolf, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Deputies did not say whether Rosario and Covarrubias knew each other or provide a motive for the unprovoked assault.
    Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025

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“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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