cause

noun

(countable, often with of, typically of adverse results) The source of, or reason for, an event or action; that which produces or effects a result.

(uncountable, especially with for and a bare noun) Sufficient reason.

(countable) A goal, aim or principle, especially one which transcends purely selfish ends.

(countable, law) A suit or action in court; any legal process by which a party endeavors to obtain his claim, or what he regards as his right; case; ground of action.

(countable, obsolete) Any subject of discussion or debate; a matter; an affair.

(obsolete) Sake; interest; advantage.

verb

(transitive) To set off an event or action; to bring about; to produce.

(ditransitive) To actively produce as a result, by means of force or authority.

(obsolete) To assign or show cause; to give a reason; to make excuse.

Roots

causacaus- · Latin · cause, reason

Synonyms for cause

reasonn inducev makev dov havev movementn provokev groundsn

Synonyms & related words for cause

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of cause — including reason, induce, make, do, have, movement. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to cause

Explore words related to cause — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include uncaused, causer, coz, idiopathy, ingenerate, superinduce, causation, causeless. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for cause

Common synonyms for cause include reason, induce, make, do, have, movement, provoke, grounds — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does cause come from?

The word cause breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root caus-, from Latin causa (“cause, reason”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.