why not
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See also: why-not
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Adverb
[edit]why not (not comparable)
- Why is that not true?
- I don't want to go out today. — Why not?
- (rhetorical) Used to state that one has no objection to and approves of a proposal.
- Let's have pizza for lunch. — Yes, why not?
- (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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- (why is that not true): why?, how come?
- (to show one has no objection): all right, OK
- (to introduce a proposal): how about, what if
Translations
[edit]why is that not true
|
state one has no objection
|
introduce a proposal
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