whereas

American  

[hwair-, wair-az] / ʰwɛər-, wɛərˈæz /

conjunction

1. while on the contrary.

   One arrived promptly, whereas the others hung back.

2. it being the case that, or considering that (used especially in formal preambles).

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noun

whereases plural

1. a qualifying or introductory statement, especially one having “whereas” as the first word.

   to read the whereases in the will.

whereas British  

/ wɛərˈæz /

conjunction

1. (coordinating) but on the other hand

   I like to go swimming whereas Sheila likes to sail

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1. (in formal documents to begin sentences) it being the case that; since

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• whereases
  plural

Etymology

Origin of whereas

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English wheras; equivalent to where + as ¹

Example Sentences

Whereas Coltrane brought grace and a gentle texture, Rollins arguably delivered a firmer sense of music's ebbs and flows, crafting jazz in the manner of a classical composer.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Whereas in the language of sports, we talk about endurance, discipline and grit.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

"Whereas now hopefully people can see that actually it's a really complex area of law," she said.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Whereas working folks in the past mainly relocated for weather or the occasional job switch, Americans are today moving aggressively on the basis of economic policy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Whereas Jinny remembered both Ess and Sam as timid and watchful on their first morning, Loo was the opposite—all sound and movement, like a thigh-high thunderstorm.

From "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder