because

American

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

conjunction

for the reason that; due to the fact that.

The boy was absent because he was ill.

preposition

Informal. (used directly before a noun, adjective, verb, interjection, etc., to convey a very concise rationale, excuse, or explanation).

We’re a little like monkeys because evolution.
He doesn’t practice enough: because lazy.
I love doughnuts because yum!

idioms

because of, by reason of; due to.

Schools were closed because of heavy snowfall.

because British

/ bɪˈkɒz, -ˈkəz /

conjunction

(subordinating) on account of the fact that; on account of being; since

because it's so cold we'll go home
(preposition) on account of

I lost my job because of her

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

See reason.

Etymology

Origin of because

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English bi cause; see by ( def. ), cause ( def. )

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.

See Examples For:

because

“Hey, LeBron, just because you have a helicopter and you live in New York doesn’t mean we’re gonna cheer for you,” one fan yelled, according to NBC broadcaster Mike Tirico.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

If demand slows down, memory is affected more than other components, because “it’s not just a volume or unit problem; it ends up being a pricing problem,” Wedbush analyst Matt Bryson told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

Lander said the military released him with a warning because of his public profile, but other participants remain in detention.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Employees at Google have told the BBC that staff are scared to speak out about AI safety and its uses in warfare because their employment contracts prohibit them from publicly criticising the company.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

“We place Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. Robinson at the center of this exhibit because without them and many other women, there would have never been a Voting Rights Act,” Dr. Davis says.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023