why

Fetched 2026-11-02 (live).

Datamuse reports no synonyms or antonyms for this word.

Adverb

1. For what cause, reason, or purpose. Introducing a complete question.
   • Why is the sky blue?
   • Why did you do that?
   • I don’t know why he did that.
   • Tell me why the moon changes phase.
   • Why don't you ask her out for dinner?
   • Why spend money on something you already get for free?
   • Why not tell him how you feel?
   • Why him? Why not someone taller?
2. Introducing a complete question.
   • Why is the sky blue?
   • Why did you do that?
   • I don’t know why he did that.
   • Tell me why the moon changes phase.
   • Why don't you ask her out for dinner?
3. With a negative, used rhetorically to make a suggestion.
   • Why don't you ask her out for dinner?
4. Introducing a verb phrase (bare infinitive clause).
   • Why spend money on something you already get for free?
   • Why not tell him how you feel?
5. Introducing a noun or other phrase.
   • Why him? Why not someone taller?
6. For which cause, reason, or purpose.
   • That's the reason why I did that.
7. The cause, reason, or purpose for which.
   • That is why the sky is blue.
   • Why most of us volunteer is that we need some fresh air.

Noun

1. Reason.
   • A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.
   • I don't want to know the whys or the wherefores of your decision.

Interjection

1. An exclamation used to express pleasant or unpleasant mild surprise, indignation, or impatience.
   • Why, that’s ridiculous!
   • Why, how kind of you!
   • Why yes, that’s true.
   • Why, John, how could you!

Verb

1. To ask (someone) the question "why?".

Noun

1. A young heifer.

Noun

1. Alternative form of wye; the name of the Latin script letter Y/y.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wiktionary) · cached copy, not a rewrite.