cause
noun
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.
causes
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pluralof cause.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
-
present tense formof cause (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
causenouna 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.
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.
AI ethicists have dismissed attempts to treat AI systems as autonomous agents as creative ways for the AI labs to skirt accountability for the harm their software causes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Despite a round of antivirals, the flare turned into the painful condition Bell’s palsy, a complication that causes muscle weakness and drooping, often in one side of the face.
From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026
Astronomers can use these changes to search for planets because an orbiting planet's gravity causes its host star to move slightly back and forth.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
The bacterium that causes it still exists in parts of Africa and Asia, including Siberia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Clearly, if much of our knowledge is analogical in origin it cannot be certain, and the real causes of events may always escape us.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
