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.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A surge in parasitic disease cases that can cause a prolonged bout of debilitating diarrhea is prompting growing concerns from public health officials and questions from the public about the safety of fresh produce.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
But there is conflicting evidence of the value of the site – or of whether US airstrikes can cause significant damage to the tunnels which are deep beneath granite rock.
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
What she didn’t know was that she was partly the cause of it.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
“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
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
“It’s funny, ‘cause I’ve had people recognize me, but majority of the time, their mindsets are on real estate.”
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 3, 2026
“But the missing them doesn’t get any easier just ’cause you know they’ve gone to Heaven.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
The Kremlin denies involvement in his death, which Russian officials blamed on natural causes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Together, they account for millions of new cancer diagnoses worldwide each year and remain among the leading causes of cancer related deaths.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026
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
For example, dehydration often causes a severe drop in blood pressure and imbalances in electrolytes like sodium and potassium.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
“Solar radiation heats the wrought iron, making it expand, which causes the tower to move slightly,” Monty explained.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
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
The boat launched from near the St. Francis Yacht Club, and it is currently unclear what caused it to capsize.
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
Nighthand gave a roar of pleasure so loud, it caused the longma to shy and buck in the air.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
In 2024, something similar happened, causing tremendous damage to the U.S. stock market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Even if AI development goes relatively well—just not quite as well or as fast as hoped—bond spreads might widen, causing their value to fall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Grković said it seemed like part of the plane's engine had broken off, smashing the window next to her husband and causing decompression in the cabin.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 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
Unfortunately, soon enough clouds blocked the sun, causing the day to grow more and more overcast as the morning moved on.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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.
