a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the producer of an effect.
You have been the cause of much anxiety.
What was the cause of the accident?
the reason or motive for some human action.
The good news was a cause for rejoicing.
good or sufficient reason.
to complain without cause;
to be dismissed for cause.
Law.
a ground of legal action; the matter over which a person goes to law.
a case for judicial decision.
any subject of discussion or debate.
a principle, ideal, goal, or movement to which a person or group is dedicated.
the Socialist cause;
the human rights cause.
the welfare of a person or group, seen as a subject of concern.
support for the cause of the American Indian.
Philosophy.
the end or purpose for which a thing is done or produced.
Aristotelianism. any of the four things necessary for the movement or the coming into being of a thing, namely a material material cause, something to act upon it efficient cause, a form taken by the movement or development formal cause, and a goal or purpose final cause.
a person, thing, event, state, or action that produces an effect
grounds for action; motive; justification
she had good cause to shout like that
the ideals, etc, of a group or movement
the Communist cause
the welfare or interests of a person or group in a dispute
they fought for the miners' cause
a matter of widespread concern or importance
the cause of public health
a ground for legal action; matter giving rise to a lawsuit
the lawsuit itself
(in the philosophy of Aristotle) any of four requirements for a thing's coming to be, namely material (material cause), its nature (formal cause), an agent (efficient cause), and a purpose (final cause)
to join with (a person, group, etc) for a common objective
What is a basic definition of cause? A cause is a person, thing, event, or action that triggers a resulting event. Cause can also mean a motivation or an ideal or goal that a person or group is dedicated to. Cause has several other senses as a noun and one as a verb. In manner of speaking, the cause tells you why something happened. A cause is the spark that lights a fire. The cause of you being sick might be a bacteria or a virus that harms your body. You giving your niece a birthday present might be the cause of her being happy. The word cause is often used with the word effect, which means a resulting action that happens because of a cause.
Cause, occasion refer to the starting of effects into motion. A cause is an agency, perhaps acting through a long time, or a long-standing situation, that produces an effect: The cause of the quarrel between the two men was jealousy. An occasion is an event that provides an opportunity for the effect to become evident, or perhaps promotes its becoming evident: The occasion was the fact that one man's wages were increased. See reason.
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin causa “case, reason, sake”
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; aphetic variant
A cause makes an effect, and you're likely to hear the phrase "cause and effect" when people are trying to analyze how things happen. Cause can also mean something worth fighting for — like social justice or animal rights. You might raise money for a good cause, like ending poverty. Once the doctor determines the cause of your illness, she might make it her personal cause to discover a cure. The verb cause is all about the action of producing an effect, like when you slice onions and it causes your eyes to water.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“But when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Could England cause the Open final round to move?
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
The outbreak is due to cyclosporiasis, an illness that can cause explosive diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramping.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Heat domes can cause "dry thunderstorms," in which rain evaporates before hitting the ground and lightning strikes are liable to trigger wildfires, as much of the western United States is already experiencing drought conditions.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Propaganda uses misleading, biased, or exaggerated information to promote a political cause.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
“Everybody thinks they’re so funny and they can do stand-up ‘cause it looks so easy,” said Rodriguez.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Cosgrove is hopeful that with winter around the corner, relief is on the way: "Eventually they do stop 'cause it gets too cold and wet."
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
George Kamel: I think I’d rather go to the mafia than to my parents, ’cause it creates a really awkward dynamic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
“We let it go a little bit, ’cause we thought she might be out partying,” Gonzalez later told the Star-Telegram.
From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2026
“Y’all think you’re so good just ’cause you beat the Mighty Ducks on Saturday.
From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone
As with many treatments focused on symptoms rather than causes, the underlying disease will be left worse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
And note that people with diarrhea should not go to water parks or swimming pools: The parasite that causes cyclosporiasis can survive in chlorinated water, according to Egan.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Tracking the origin of an outbreak in the US that causes explosive diarrhoea has proved a challenge for public health experts searching for answers about how it started - and how it's spreading.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Scientists from the University of California San Diego and collaborating institutions examined data from an earlier clinical trial involving 108 adults with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, a condition that causes excess fat to accumulate around the abdomen.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
And it is not the relative insubstantiality of her clothing that causes Marco to stare, but the tattoo that snakes across her skin.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
The defence's main argument is that the bridge had a hidden construction defect, namely corrosion of the bridge's cables, and it was this that caused its collapse, not a lack of maintenance.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
“There’s no way to understand Israeli society without understanding the depth of the trauma caused by Oct. 7,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Thompson sued FanDuel, Morgan, DraftKings and the NFL in March, alleging that the sportsbooks caused him to lose about $1.6 million while betting an estimated $18.5 million over a four-year period.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
And even if you have recovered, throw out any leafy greens or other foods that may have caused your illness.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
When we used to come with Mom, she would always try to limit us to a few games each, and it caused a fight between her and Dad every time.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
There is no vaccine or specific treatment available for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is causing the current outbreak.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Still, Dunkelberg said that while there have been improvements in the overall environment, high interest rates and modest economic growth are causing owners to approach hiring and capital spending with caution.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
“That means once investors make an allocation it is reasonable to see that it will stagnate for a while causing volatility with lower volumes of shares traded,” he said in emailed comments.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit the Mojave Desert about halfway between Edwards Air Force Base and Ridgecrest Monday, causing light shaking near the epicenter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Glimmer turned to Roz and said, “What do you think is causing the poison tide?”
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
