Definition of whereforenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
The whole process should be audited to determine the whys and wherefores of the delays and budget increases. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefore
Adverb
  • Calling these relationships attachments therefore goes further than the evidence currently allows.
    — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The accuracy of hurricane intensity forecast will therefore get worse after just a few days.
    — Chanh Kieu, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The reason is that sellers will give up some money to avoid the risk that a buyer’s financing falls through.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Borisov’s brainy, tender, deeply contemplative performance lends an anchoring humanity to a film that might otherwise have curdled into sourness and despair — though there’s plenty of reason for that.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • This is a brand new hotel, built to code, so hallways and elevators are not a problem.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • His ego is in exact inverse proportion to Ilya’s, which is part of what makes Garfield and Borisov play so beautifully off each other.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • To use this tool requires bravery, vulnerability and honest insights into your why.
    — Joanna Horton McPherson, Forbes.com, 7 May 2026
  • Searching for a reason The time since, with no other winners in the city, has left plenty of room for those in the business to guess at a why.
    — Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • Trump’s insistence on including certain details regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program has emerged as a pressure point in negotiations, as have various ways to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and thus bring down global oil prices.
    — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Tech kicker John Love made the kick, thus sending the Hokies to the program's first 5-0 start in years.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In light of that revelation, Faist now sees another possible motive for Cyrus’ treatment of his sons, one driven by hubris and a desire to protect his own fictional legacy.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Police have not commented on a possible motive for Saturday's stabbing, which remains under investigation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Ming Yang, a Chinese manufacturer, has already been blocked from building a factory in Scotland on national security grounds.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The house and its grounds form the backbone of filming locations, though certain spaces on the property were either too cramped or did not provide the right lighting for film production.
    — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wherefore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefore. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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