as in to create
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)
the ice storm caused a massive power outage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in reason
someone or something responsible for a result
the much-debated causes of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in movement
a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal
joined the freedom fighters' cause as a young man
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cause
David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Alternate payment gateways cause Volusion to charge 1.25% for Personal, 0.65% for Professional, 0.35% for Business, and custom percentages for Prime.
—Robert Anderson, PCMAG, 27 Feb. 2025
Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 26 Feb. 2025
Chile's interior minister Carolina Toha said the outage was caused by a transmission line failure in the country's north, ruling out a cyber attack as a cause.
—Fabian Cambero and Alexander Villegas, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cause
Verb
But, unlike the 2019 outbreak, during which 1,274 individual cases of measles were confirmed in 31 states, this latest outbreak has already caused one death, the first from the disease in the U.S. since 2015.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Alternate payment gateways cause Volusion to charge 1.25% for Personal, 0.65% for Professional, 0.35% for Business, and custom percentages for Prime.
—Robert Anderson, PCMAG, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
While Trachtenberg’s exact cause of death hasn’t been confirmed at the time of writing, a source told TMZ that Trachtenberg underwent a liver transplant shortly before her death.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 26 Feb. 2025
Chile's interior minister Carolina Toha said the outage was caused by a transmission line failure in the country's north, ruling out a cyber attack as a cause.
—Fabian Cambero and Alexander Villegas, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cause
Verb
-
The stunning natural scenery in the background paired with the sound of the breeze and local wildlife create a peaceful, natural ambience to keep on a second screen.—
Anusha Praturu,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2025
-
These actions have been saving lives and driving true culture change, creating a safer future for everyone.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
No one suspected the underlying reason: cognitive decline due to early-onset Alzheimer's disease.—
Laura Kwerel,
NPR,
3 Mar. 2025
-
This is yet another reason why AI can serve humanity but can never replace people outright.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
No matter how they’re conceived, wet rooms are just another way homeowners are immersing themselves in the wellness movement.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Mar. 2025
-
In that and subsequent braid performances, data gleaned from the sensors’ tracking of her movements feeds a machine-learning algorithm, yielding generative models of a Lakȟóta body in motion.—
Christopher T. Green,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The senior forward has a happy-go-lucky nature, always bringing an optimistic perspective.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
-
And this game against England brings into focus the tricky process of adaptation Caldentey has faced since leaving Spain last year.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Yet, in the rush to assemble their optimal AI toolkits—building tech stacks, developing use cases, allocating resources—few companies seem to appreciate one key determinant of success.—
Jodi Euerle Eddy,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Commonly measured as the amount of goods and services generated per worker, productivity is the central determinant of a nation’s average standard of living and its overall economic success.—
Matthew J. Slaughter,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Republicans allege that Zelensky's Pennsylvania visit was improper campaign support for then-Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Kamala Harris, despite Zelensky's insistence that the visit was diplomatic in nature.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
-
The filmmakers used their acceptance speeches to highlight the effects of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
While the event generated significant online discussion and participation from some consumer groups, the data suggests its impact on major corporations was muted.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Market Visibility: The forthcoming rebrand generates excitement among partners and prospective customers.—
Russell P. Reeder,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Of course, some will argue that correlation is not causation, but those who do generally aren’t market operators.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Correlation, of course, is not causation, but that pattern shouldn’t be dismissed.—
Abdallah Fayyad,
Vox,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cause. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share