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Definitions

why

[hwahy, wahy] / ʰwaɪ, waɪ /
NOUN
reason
Synonyms


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.

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“If that is what happened here, the critical question is why authentication safeguards, access restrictions, and monitoring systems failed to detect and stop the unauthorized activity.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

The rap mogul was moved to FCI Allenwood Low on Friday, a prison official said, but declined to discuss why he was moved, citing privacy, safety, and security reasons.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

"I don't understand why a mom would buy a teenage boy a weapon like that," said Vanetsky.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

How and why did the tide turn against this sticky substance?

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

I’d stuffed it there two hours ago so I could concentrate on my homework rather than wonder why it was taking him so long to text me, when he’s had my number for hours.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

"Ronaldo does things, but he does them knowing all the whys, and that's what impresses me. I'm convinced he'll continue for another one, two, or even three years," said his former Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro.

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025

Lewis said she wanted to “figure it out” on her own and reduce the environmental toxins, emotional stress and “all the whys of cancer” that contribute to the onset of the disease.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024

The hows are easier to explain than the whys when it comes to all this madness, so let’s start there.

From Salon ● Nov. 7, 2023

Physicists believe that there must have been some primordial imbalance that allowed matter to dominate the universe, yet the hows and whys remain open questions.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 27, 2023

Hattie Mae, pen and paper in hand, was prepared to record all the whos, whats, whys, whens, and wheres and so tried not to notice the handsome man sitting beside her.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool


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