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why

/waɪ/
interrogative pronoun★Beginner— to ask for a reason or explanation
general

used to ask for a reason or explanation

Why is the sky blue?

This asks for the scientific explanation of the sky's color.

Why did you choose this path?

This asks for the motivation behind a decision.

💡

Often used in questions to seek understanding or clarification.

Collocations

why notused to suggest an alternative or encourage actionwhy botherused to express that something is not worth the effort

Synonyms

for what reasonfor what purpose

Antonyms

becausesince

Related Phrases

why notphrase
used to suggest an alternative or encourage action
why botherphrase
used to express that something is not worth the effort

💡Pro Tip

Question Formation

In questions, 'why' is often followed by a subject and a verb (e.g., 'Why did you leave?').

⚡Gold Rule

Direct Questions

'Why' is used to form direct questions seeking reasons or explanations.

📖Word Origin

Old English 'hwȳ', from Proto-Germanic 'hwī', meaning 'how' or 'in what way'.

📝Usage Notes

Can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Often paired with 'do' in questions (e.g., 'Why do you think so?').

Word Breakdown

why
interrogative pronoun asking for a reason
root
English Dictionary

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