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Synonyms

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).


noun

plural

whereases
  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

"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

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of whereas

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

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.

Whereas Altman can be seen as a wheeler-dealer, racing to cut big deals to grow fast, Amodei staked out a comparably measured position—almost academic or, some might say, zealous.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I have another dog at home that I thought about introducing but she's quite nervous when she comes into school. Whereas for Florrie, from day one it was her home."

From BBC

But Kehinde Wiley has been engaged in much the same program and turned it into a signature aesthetic, whereas Ms. Tsouhlarakis’s sculpture is atypical of her broader body of work.

From The Wall Street Journal

Whereas Anne Klein was this melting pot of creativity, Calvin was much more image-driven and precision-driven.

From Los Angeles Times

As Cruze notes, eating a chocolate to help you sleep feels more like a reward, whereas taking a capsule can feel more medicinal, and less enjoyable.

From BBC