Five Alternatives to “Because”
Quick Summary on Words You Can Use in Place of “Because”
Five other ways to say because are:
- As
- Since
- For
- Inasmuch as
- As long as
What Does “Because” Mean?
Before we dive into the synonyms and examples of because, we want to first go over what it means. Because is a conjunction—a word that connects other words or groups of words together—that means “for the reason that.” Here’s an example:
I cried because my friend yelled at me.
=
I cried for the reason that my friend yelled at me.
Now that we’ve covered what type of word because is and what it means, let’s go over a few alternatives.
Five “Because” Alternatives
1. As
Similarly to because, as is a conjunction “used to state the reason for something.”
I took the bus home because I thought you forgot to pick me up.
I took the bus home as I thought you forgot to pick me up.
2. Since
Although since is a common alternative, some people consider it second-rate to because. This is because it can also function as a preposition that refers to elapsed time, and could cause confusion.
Because it was sunny, we decided to go to the beach.
Since it was sunny, we decided to go to the beach.
3. For
You can find for as an alternative to because in poetic writing. It is not commonly found in either casual or professional writing.
Let’s eat because I am hungry.
Let’s eat, for I am hungry.
4. Inasmuch as
This alternative is as formal as they come, but can be used exactly as because. If you do want to use it, keep in mind it’s uncommon, and usually found in professional and academic settings.
She was a famous and unique artist because she was considered legally blind.
She was a famous and unique artist inasmuch as she was considered legally blind.
5. As long as
This alternative to because expresses that because something is happening, will happen, or is true, then another thing can happen too.
Because you’re going to the store, can you bring back some cookies?
As long as you’re going to the store, can you bring back some cookies?
These Alternatives Are Helpful Because You Should Avoid Repetitiveness
This list is useful because whether you’re writing an essay, a book, or any other type of text, it’s always a good idea to switch up your vocabulary to avoid repetitiveness. Just remember to keep context in mind. For example, if you’re writing about something casual or funny, you might not want to use inasmuch as.
Another thing to keep in mind while writing is how important proper spelling and grammar are. LanguageTool is a multilingual text editor that can detect (and correct) various types of errors. It can also provide synonyms and formatting suggestions. Try it today because/as/since it’s free and user-friendly.