wherefores

plural of wherefore
as in reasons
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

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wherefores
Noun
  • This increase happens for two reasons — both tied to the fact that El Niño is characterized by warmer than average ocean temperatures in the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean.
    Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Less than a week after our Zoom conversation with Knapp, an unrelated Good Good collab went viral for all of the wrong reasons.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • If someone consistently behaves with kindness, generosity, and consideration, even when these behaviors require effort or self-restraint, their motives may be less important than their actions.
    Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Then Front Office Sports wants documentation, competing sources and a discussion about our motives.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wherefores.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wherefores. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster