“Whys” or “Wise” or “Wyes”—Which to use?

“Whys” or “Wise” or “Wyes”

Overview

whys / wise / wyes are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇

Definitions

whys: (noun) the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase `the whys and wherefores'.

wise: (noun) a way of doing or being. (noun) United States Jewish leader (born in Hungary) (1874-1949). (noun) United States religious leader (born in Bohemia) who united reform Jewish organizations in the United States (1819-1900). (adjective) having or prompted by wisdom or discernment.

wyes: NA

Pronunciation

whys: w·AY·z

wise: w·AY·z

wyes: NA

Trends

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Examples in Context

Examples of “whys”

…is an introduction to the whys of algorithms and data structures.

Examples of “wise”

…gym run by Dennis "Cutty" Wise but does not usually box
…Century, when Frederick III "the Wise", the Elector of Saxony from…
…of the electors Frederick the Wise (by Peter Vischer the Younger,…
…County, Kentucky Magistrate Charles E. Wise by a wide margin in
The Wise Fishermen's Encyclopedia (1951).
…(el Ejercicio), accompanied by the wise Discretion (Discreción), tries to find…
…Energy Association and Non-Executive Director, WISE Campaign.
…Anita Harris and Morecambe & Wise.
…the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS),…
…second after Yaroslav I the Wise among the Great Ukrainians by…

Examples of “wyes”

(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions drawn from WordNet.)

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