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View synonyms for

because

[ bih-kawz, -koz, -kuhz ]

conjunction

  1. for the reason that; due to the fact that:

    The boy was absent because he was ill.



preposition

  1. Informal. (used directly before a noun, adjective, verb, interjection, etc., to convey a very concise rationale, excuse, or explanation):

    We’re a little like monkeys because evolution.

    He doesn’t practice enough: because lazy.

    I love doughnuts because yum!

because

/ -ˈkəz; bɪˈkɒz /

conjunction

  1. subordinating on account of the fact that; on account of being; since

    because it's so cold we'll go home

  2. because of
    preposition on account of

    I lost my job because of her

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Usage Note

See reason.
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Usage

See reason
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Word History and Origins

Origin of because1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English bi cause; by ( def ), cause ( def )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of because1

C14 bi cause , from bi by + cause
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. because of, by reason of; due to:

    Schools were closed because of heavy snowfall.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But the reality is there are not many contests this year, not least because some have been postponed because of an imminent shake-up in local government structures in some places.

From

That is because a lot of the contests where there is an expectation that they could win are being counted overnight.

From

Pelley disclosed the show had been facing increased corporate oversight because of Paramount’s desire to win the Trump administration’s approval of the Skydance deal.

From

“That really requires acting,” Pointer told The Times, “because instead of having known him for 43 years, I have to pretend — and so does he — that we haven’t seen each other since we were 18.”

From

“Our two best players missed layups at the end. I don’t think they missed layups because they were tired,” he said.

From

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How Do You Spell Because?

Spelling tips for because

The word because is hard to spell since the -cause part of the word is pronounced [ koz ] or [ kuhz .

How to spell because: The word cause means “reason or motive”. To remember how to spell because, ask yourself, “ could be the cause of that?” Add be to the beginning of cause and you have because.

When To Use

are other ways to say because?

The conjunction because means “for the reason that” or “due to the fact that.” Do you know when to use because, as, since, for, and inasmuch as? Learn more on .

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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caught with one's pants down, bebeccafico