why not

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See also: why-not

English

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Pronunciation

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Adverb

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why not (not comparable)

  1. Why is that not true?
    I don't want to go out today. — Why not?
  2. (rhetorical) Used to state that one has no objection to and approves of a proposal.
    Let's have pizza for lunch. — Yes, why not?
  3. (rhetorical) Used to introduce a proposal.
    Why not try turning the handle in the other direction to see if that opens the window?

Usage notes

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  • Definitions 2 and 3 are more in the nature of assertions than questions, so they are often spoken as assertions and sometimes written without question marks.

Synonyms

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Translations

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