therefore
advUK /ˈðɛə.fɔː/ · US /ˈðɛɹ.fɔɹ/
Etymology From Middle English therfore, therfor, tharfore, thorfore; synchronically a univerbation of there (pronominal adverb) + for, literally “for that (reason)”. The spelling has been changed due to a reanalysis as there + fore (literally “forward from that; thence”). See also therefor, ultimately the same formation. Compare Saterland Frisian deerfoar, Dutch daarvoor, German dafür, Danish and Norwegian derfor, Swedish därför.
1
Conjunctive Consequently, by or in consequence of that or this cause; referring to something previously stated.
- Traditional values will always have a place—therefore, they will never lose relevance.
- I've been explicitly forbidden to leave and therefore must stay longer.
4 more examples
- I left the office at 5 o'clock. I was therefore not there when the fire started a quarter of an hour later.
- I have married a wife, and therefore I can not come.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 14:20:
- Je pense, donc je suis (I think, therefore I am)1637, René Descartes, Discourse on the Method:
- In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
2
Archaic, Conjunctive For that; for it (in reference to a previous statement).
- Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 19:27:
- Synonyms
- so, thus, to that end, to this end, hence, then, accordingly, as a result, it follows that, thereby, eo ipso, ∴, as such, consequently, ergo, in consequence, in that case, pursuantly, subsequently, thence, therefore, whence, wherefore
- Antonyms
- nevertheless, to that end, to this end
- Derived terms
- I think, therefore I am, thusfore
- Related terms
203 terms
—, henceafter, henceforth, henceforward, henceforwards, hencefrom, hereabout, hereabouts, hereabove, hereafter, hereafters, hereagainst, hereamong, hereanent, hereat, hereaway, herebefore, hereby, herefor, herefore, hereforth, hereforward, hereforwards, herefrom, herehence, hereinabove, hereinafter, hereinbefore, hereinbelow, hereinelsewhere, hereinsoever, hereinto, hereinunder, heremid, hereof, hereon, hereout, hereover, herethrough, herethroughout, hereto, heretofore, hereunto, hereupon, herewith, herewithal, herewithin, herewithout, hitherto, hitherunto, hitherward, hitherwards, howbeit, however, howso, howsoever, howsomedever, howsomever, thataway, thatwise, thenceafter, thenceforth, thenceforward, thenceforwards, thencefrom, thenceout, thereabout, thereabouts, thereabove, thereacross, thereafter, thereafters, thereagain, thereagainst, therealong, thereamong, thereamongst, thereanent, therearound, thereat, thereaway, therebefore, therebeside, therebetween, therebeyond, thereby, therever, therefor, thereforth, therefrom, therehence, thereinabove, thereinafter, thereinbefore, thereinbelow, thereinto, thereinunder, theremid, thereof, thereon, thereout, thereover, theresoever, therethrough, therethroughout, thereto, theretofore, thereunto, thereup, thereupon, therewith, therewithal, therewithin, therewithout, thisaway, thiswise, thitherinsoever, thitherto, thitherward, thitherwards, whatever, whatso, whatsoever, whatsomedever, whatsomever, whatwise, whenabout, whenabouts, whenas, whenever, whenso, whensoever, whensomever, whenceafter, whencever, whenceforth, whenceforward, whencefrom, whenceward, whencewards, whereabout, whereabouts, whereabove, whereafter, whereafters, whereagainst, wherealong, whereamong, whereamongst, whereanent, wherearound, whereas, whereat, whereaway, wherebefore, wherebeside, wherebetween, wherebeyond, whereby, wherever, wherefor, wherefore, whereforth, wherefrom, wherehence, whereinabove, whereinafter, whereinbefore, whereinbelow, whereinsoever, whereinto, whereinunder, wheremid, whereof, whereon, whereout, whereover, whereso, wheresoever, wheresomever, wherethrough, wherethroughout, whereto, wheretofore, whereunto, whereup, whereupon, wherewith, wherewithal, wherewithin, wherewithout, whitherever, whitherinsoever, whitherso, whitherto, whithertofore, whitherward, whitherwards, whyever, whyfor, whyso, whysoever, 1. Scottish2. from Middle English mid3. old dialectal form