why

American  

[hwahy, wahy] / ʰwaɪ, waɪ /

adverb

1. for what? for what reason, cause, or purpose?.

   Why did you behave so badly?

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conjunction

1. for what cause or reason.

   I don't know why he is leaving.

2. for which; on account of which (usually after reason to introduce a relative clause).

   the reason why he refused to go.

3. the reason for which.

   That is why he returned.

noun

• whys
  plural

1. a question concerning the cause or reason for which something is done, achieved, etc..

   a child's unending hows and whys.

2. the cause or reason.

   the whys and wherefores of a troublesome situation.

interjection

1. (used as an expression of surprise, hesitation, etc., or sometimes a mere expletive).

   Why, it's all gone!

why British  

/ waɪ /

adverb

1. 1. for what reason, purpose, or cause?

      why are you here?

   2. ( used in indirect questions )

      tell me why you're here

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pronoun

1. for or because of which

   there is no reason why he shouldn't come

noun

1. (usually plural) the reason, purpose, or cause of something (esp in the phrase the whys and wherefores )

interjection

1. an introductory expression of surprise, disagreement, indignation, etc

   why, don't be silly!

Usage

See reason.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• whys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of why

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hwī, hwȳ, instrumental case of hwæt what; cognate with Old Norse hvī

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

why whys

“I think it is,” Smith replied, “I don’t think there’s any question about it. And that’s why I spoke out against it because it’s utterly ridiculous.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

"That's why these are important findings with global relevance."

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

So why did I use a travel agent when I could get an AI chatbot to spit out a full itinerary in seconds?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

I’m 23, and I understand why my generation is frustrated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

“It’s come so far already, so I don’t see why it can’t continue like this. Why hire an outsider to mess things up? You know what they say: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

At least some of the whys of cheating can be tamped down, resulting in less cheating, Pope said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2025

"Ronaldo does things, but he does them knowing all the whys, and that's what impresses me. I'm convinced he'll continue for another one, two, or even three years," said his former Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro.

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025

So this book goes into all the whys.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2023

Physicists believe that there must have been some primordial imbalance that allowed matter to dominate the universe, yet the hows and whys remain open questions.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 27, 2023

I do not want to hear your whys, Uhmma insists.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na