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).

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noun

whereases plural

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

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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• whereases
  plural

Etymology

Origin of whereas

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

Example Sentences

Whereas previous tournaments had large building costs paid for by taxpayers and borrowing, 2026 costs are instead being paid for by the attendees.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Whereas Coltrane brought grace and a gentle texture, Rollins arguably delivered a firmer sense of music's ebbs and flows, crafting jazz in the manner of a classical composer.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Whereas in the language of sports, we talk about endurance, discipline and grit.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Whereas businesses once felt compelled to stay in Wall Street or Silicon Valley, the downsides have grown too huge.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Whereas no one here has ever had the faintest cause for such delusions.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver