as in oh
how surprising, doubtful, or unbelievable
why, what a strange thing to say! why, that's not possible!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in reason
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
asked the whys behind the surprising decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
how one decides that a certain person is "the one" is one of the great whys of life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of why
Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2022
Cain opines on the why-and-how of private mega-yachts, which have grown mind-bogglingly massive (such as the 533-foot-long Eclipse, replete with submarine, owned by Russian business mogul Roman Abramovich).
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for why
Interjection
Why, oh why, do the Rangers keep throwing away almost certain victories in the final minutes of playoff games?
—Filip Bondy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2017
Noun
The show never aims its considerable wit and girl power vibe to get a firm grip on the troubling tributaries that flow just underneath the why-ness of the show: These women, nobility be damned, are one and all inextricably tied to a fundamentally-flawed man.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2022
Cain opines on the why-and-how of private mega-yachts, which have grown mind-bogglingly massive (such as the 533-foot-long Eclipse, replete with submarine, owned by Russian business mogul Roman Abramovich).
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for why
Recent Examples of Synonyms for why
Interjection
-
The ceiling is probably just an inch north of a league-average starting pitcher, but oh man, would that be a victory for the player, given what he’s gone through over his career.—
Eno Sarris,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
-
People talk about, oh, this is America versus China.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly point to Trump's election as a reason for the recruiting rebound.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 May 2025
-
Early reactions to the live-action remake note the film's inclusion of iconic original moments as a key reason for its success.—
Sharareh Drury,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
Ray is an enigma and a mystery, a man who zips into town on a motorbike like a phantom and could just as easily evaporate at any minute.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
18 May 2025
-
Joseph Vacher was executed via guillotine after he was found guilty of murder, but the true number of his victims remains a mystery Few know the name Joseph Vacher — even though his crimes surpassed those of the world’s most infamous serial killers.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
Defense questions Richard’s memory and motives Under cross-examination, Richard faced questions about her memory of the assaults and her personal motives.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
19 May 2025
-
Police said Sunday that no suspect has been identified and no motive is known.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
18 May 2025
Interjection
-
History has largely ignored the sassy, grumpy royal advisor who paved the way for characters like Sebastian and Zazu, but hey, Friend Owl would never hold that against us.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
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But hey, if the next movie wants to keep the family theme going, Alex Browning II is a distant possibility.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
22 May 2025
Interjection
-
Yes, this recipe calls for more salt than most other cookie recipes with similar yields (well, besides our Copycat NYC Bakery Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies).—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 May 2025
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Others might offer emotional and spiritual support in the form of companionship, storytelling and, well, lots of listening.—
Nicole Stanton,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
Interjection
-
Google Users Express Anger Over Data Loss Well, gee, thanks Google.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
-
And gee if there were only a very effective way of preventing the measles.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Why.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/why. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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