by reason of

Idioms  

1. Because of, owing to, as in By reason of a crop failure, the price of coffee is bound to rise. This expression is considered quite formal today. [c. 1300]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

by reason of

The jury could have acquited her by reason of insanity, which would then send her to a mental institution, the duration of her stay determined by doctors.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

The jury has been deadlocked 11-1 with the majority apparently leaning towards finding the 36-year-old Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

“Two independent doctors evaluated Hoetzlein and each concluded he met the legal criteria for a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity,” Ventura County Dist.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

Lawrence, a troubled man who thought himself the heir to the British throne, was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Hinckley was tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

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