Definitions

because

[bih-kawz, -koz, -kuhz] / bɪˈkɔz, -ˈkɒz, -ˈkʌz /

CONJUNCTION

on account of

Synonyms

WEAK

as as a result of as long as as things go being by cause of by reason of by virtue of considering due to for for the reason that for the sake of in as much as in behalf of in that in the interest of in view of now that on the grounds that over owing to seeing since thanks to through whereas

PREPOSITION

on account of

Synonyms

WEAK

as being by cause of by reason of by virtue of considering due to for for the reason that for the sake of in as much as in behalf of in that in the interest of in view of now that on the grounds that over owing to seeing since thanks to through whereas

Usage

What are other ways to say because? The conjunction because introduces a direct reason for an occurrence or action: I was sleeping because I was tired. As and since are so casual as to imply merely circumstances attendant on the main statement: As (or since) I was tired, I was sleeping. The reason, proof, or justification introduced by for is like an afterthought or a parenthetical statement: I was famished, for I had not eaten all day. The more formal inasmuch as implies concession; the main statement is true in view of the circumstances introduced by this conjunction: Inasmuch as I was tired, it seemed best to sleep.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Oona's always like, 'Why are you crying?' I was like, 'Because it's so beautiful! I think that caught on to a lot of adults unexpectedly."

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

He says, ‘Because you’re always hard on me.’

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2025

“I said, ‘Because I’ve seen it 100 times.’”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 6, 2024

Jacques Bouvier added: 'Because rubisco assimilates the sugars which fuel life on Earth, improving this enzyme is one of the most promising avenues to help combat food insecurity.

From Science Daily • Mar. 6, 2024

My mom is very smart and certainly engages us on many levels, but when we asked a difficult question, she’d say, ‘Because I said so.’

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

because

Usage

Example Sentences

Related Words