Cause — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈkȯz/

Meaning & Definition of Cause

Cause (noun)

  1. a reason for an action or condition, motive
  2. something that brings about an effect or a result
  3. a person or thing that is the occasion of an action or state; especially, an agent that brings something about

Cause (verb)

  1. to serve as a cause or occasion of
  2. to compel by command, authority, or force

Cause (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)

    "the ice storm caused a massive power outage"

    similar: beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, create, do, draw on, effect, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield, bring forth, give rise to
    related: conduce (to), contribute (to), decide, determine, begin, establish, father, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, set, set up, start, advance, cultivate, develop, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote, enact, render, turn out
    near: impede, limit, restrict, clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, dampen, put down, quash, quell, repress, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, control, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, retard, can (slang), kill, snuff (out), still, abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench

Cause (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. someone or something responsible for a result

    "the much-debated causes of the war"

    similar: antecedent, causality, causation, occasion, reason
    related: consideration, determinant, factor, alpha and omega, be-all and end-all, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus, mother, origin, root, source, spring
    opposite: aftereffect, aftermath, consequence, corollary, development, effect, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot
    near: ramification, denouement, repercussion, conclusion, end, by-product, side effect

  2. a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal

    "joined the freedom fighters' cause as a young man"

    similar: bandwagon, blitz, campaign, crusade, drive, juggernaut, movement, push
    related: assault, attack, maneuver, march, offensive, action, bid, enterprise, initiative, mission, project, undertaking

Related Entry: 'cause (conjunction)

'cause is a different word from Cause. The synonyms below are for 'cause, not for cause.

  1. for the reason that

    "he left 'cause I told him to bug off"

    similar: as, as long as, because, being (as or as how or that) (chiefly dialect), considering, for, inasmuch as, now, seeing, since, whereas

Related Entry: Cause celebre (noun)

Cause celebre is a different word from Cause. The synonyms below are for cause celebre, not for cause.

  1. a person who is widely known and usually much talked about

    "a cause célèbre from some reality TV show whose fame hadn't even lasted the proverbial 15 minutes"

    similar: celeb, celebrity, figure, icon, light, luminary, megastar, name, notability, notable, notoriety, personage, personality, somebody, standout, star, superstar, VIP
    related: favorite, heartthrob, hero, idol, demigod, dignitary, eminence, immortal, monument, pillar, worthy, baron, big shot, bigwig, kahuna, magnate, mogul, nabob, panjandrum
    opposite: nobody, noncelebrity
    near: lightweight, mediocrity, has-been

Related Entry: Make common cause (phrase)

Make common cause is a different word from Cause. The synonyms below are for make common cause, not for cause.

  1. to participate or assist in a joint effort to accomplish an end

    "The managers attempted to make common cause between their departments to get the project done quickly and efficiently."

    similar: band (together), collaborate, concert, concur, conjoin, conspire, cooperate, join, league, team (up), unite, play ball, pull together
    related: connive, affiliate, ally, associate, combine, confederate, hang together, interface

Related Entry: Made common cause (phrase)

Made common cause is a different word from Cause. The synonyms below are for made common cause, not for cause.

  1. to participate or assist in a joint effort to accomplish an end

    "The managers attempted to make common cause between their departments to get the project done quickly and efficiently."

    similar: banded (together), collaborated, concerted, concurred, conjoined, conspired, cooperated, joined, leagued, teamed (up), united, played ball, pulled together
    related: connived, affiliated, allied, associated, combined, confederated, hung together, interfaced

Related Entry: Makes common cause (phrase)

Makes common cause is a different word from Cause. The synonyms below are for makes common cause, not for cause.

  1. to participate or assist in a joint effort to accomplish an end

    "The managers attempted to make common cause between their departments to get the project done quickly and efficiently."

    similar: bands (together), collaborates, concerts, concurs, conjoins, conspires, cooperates, joins, leagues, teams (up), unites, plays ball, pulls together
    related: connives, affiliates, allies, associates, combines, confederates, hangs together, interfaces

Related Entry: Making common cause (phrase)

Making common cause is a different word from Cause. The synonyms below are for making common cause, not for cause.

  1. to participate or assist in a joint effort to accomplish an end

    "The managers attempted to make common cause between their departments to get the project done quickly and efficiently."

    similar: banding (together), collaborating, concerting, concurring, conjoining, conspiring, cooperating, joining, leaguing, teaming (up), uniting, playing ball, pulling together
    related: conniving, affiliating, allying, associating, combining, confederating, hanging together, interfacing

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cause

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cause:

beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, create, do, draw on, effect, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield, bring forth, give rise to, antecedent, causality, causation, reason, bandwagon, blitz, campaign, crusade, drive, juggernaut, movement, push

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cause

Words with the opposite meaning of Cause:

aftereffect, aftermath, consequence, corollary, development, effect, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot

Related Words for Cause

conduce (to), contribute (to), decide, determine, begin, establish, father, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, set, set up, start, advance, cultivate, develop, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote, enact, render

Near Antonyms of Cause

impede, limit, restrict, clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, dampen, put down, quash, quell, repress, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, control, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, retard, can, kill, snuff (out), still, abolish

Word Forms of Cause

Inflections: caused, causing

Derived words: causeless (adjective), causer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Cause

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin causa "judicial proceedings, interests of one side in a judicial case, plea, pretext, ground of action, motive, reason," of uncertain origin

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cause

Words & Phrases Containing Cause

cause and effect, cause celebre, cause of action, cause for concern, first cause, make common cause, probable cause, lost cause

Frequently Asked Questions about Cause

What does "Cause" mean?

"Cause" means a reason for an action or condition, motive. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a reason for an action or condition, motive. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Cause"?

Other words for "Cause" include beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, create and do. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cause" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cause"?

There are 96 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cause". Common alternatives include beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, create, do, draw on and effect.

What is the opposite of "Cause"?

Antonyms of "Cause" include aftereffect, aftermath, consequence, corollary, development, effect, fate and fruit. Near antonyms include impede, limit, restrict and clamp down (on).

How do you use "Cause" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cause" in a sentence: "the ice storm caused a massive power outage"; "the much-debated causes of the war"; "joined the freedom fighters' cause as a young man".

Is "Cause" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cause" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Cause" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Cause" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Cause"?

"Cause" is pronounced /ˈkȯz/.