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Meaning & use

wherefore

adverb, noun·Advancedarchaicformalliterary

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UK/ˈweəfɔː/
US/ˈwerfɔːr/

Meanings

  1. adverbarchaicformalliterary

    For what reason; why. Used in older, literary, or very formal English.

    Grammar: Introduces a direct or indirect question, like 'why', but is not used in everyday modern speech.

    Patterns

    • wherefore + verb + subject?
    • ask wherefore

    Wherefore did you leave the party so early?

    She wondered wherefore he had changed his mind.

    Wherefore art thou Romeo? (from Shakespeare, meaning 'Why are you Romeo?')

  2. adverbarchaicformal

    For that reason; therefore, as a result of which.

    Grammar: Connects a result to a reason, similar to 'therefore' or 'for which reason'.

    Patterns

    • wherefore + clause

    He was late, wherefore he missed the beginning of the film.

    The evidence was weak, wherefore the jury acquitted him.

  3. nouncountableformal

    A reason or cause for something.

    Grammar: Used in the fixed phrase 'the whys and wherefores' to mean reasons and explanations.

    Patterns

    • the whys and wherefores of something

    She explained the whys and wherefores of the decision.

    We need to understand the wherefores before we act.

Common combinations

the whys and wherefores
The report explained the whys and wherefores of the new policy.
wherefore art thou
In modern English, 'wherefore art thou' means 'why are you'.
ask wherefore
In older texts, characters often ask wherefore something has happened.
wherefore and why
He wanted to know the wherefore and why of the whole affair.

Synonyms and how they differ

why
The everyday equivalent; 'wherefore' is only used in old or literary contexts.
therefore
Means 'for that reason' and is still common in formal writing, unlike 'wherefore'.
reason
A noun meaning a cause or explanation; 'wherefore' as a noun is almost always in the phrase 'whys and wherefores'.

Word family

where adverb
Asks about place; 'wherefore' asks about reason, not place.
therefore adverb
A common formal word meaning 'for that reason'.

Commonly confused: wherefore or where?

wherefore vs where

Many learners think 'wherefore' means 'where', but it means 'why'. In Shakespeare's line, Juliet asks why Romeo is a Montague, not where he is.

Practice

What does 'wherefore' mean in the sentence 'Wherefore did you speak so harshly?'

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