because of

preposition

: by reason of : on account of

Examples of because of in a Sentence

I was late for work because of the snowstorm, which made driving a nightmare.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Chula Vista spent about $107,000 on equipment and had its staff and third parties pick up trash because of the work stoppage. Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025 Soon after, iyO sued for trademark infringement for the similar sounding name and because of the two firms’ past interactions. Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025 Increasingly, work teams have become more international, in part because of the rising number of people moving abroad and because of the facility that online tools have provided to work across borders and time zones. Iese Business School, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 The program, which had been known as food stamps, is in for some changes because of the Big Beautiful Bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last week. David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for because of

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of because of was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Because of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/because%20of. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

because of

preposition
: by reason of

More from Merriam-Webster on because of

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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