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Therefore vs Whence - What's the difference?

therefore | whence |

As adverbs the difference between therefore and whence

is that therefore is for that or this purpose, referring to something previously stated while whence is from where; from which place or source.

As a conjunction whence is

used for introducing the result of a fact that has just been stated

therefore

English

Adverb

(-)
  • (conjunctive) For that or this purpose, referring to something previously stated.
  • *
  • I have married a wife, and therefore I can not come.
  • *
  • Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore ?
  • (conjunctive) Consequently, by or in consequence of that or this cause; referring to something previously stated.
  • * , title=(Discourse on the Method)
  • , passage=Je pense, donc je suis (I think, therefore I am)}}
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, 
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April, author=
  • , volume=100, issue=2, page=171, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Well-connected Brains , passage=Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work.}}
  • * (rfdate), Spectator
  • He blushes; therefore he is guilty.

    Synonyms

    * (for that purpose) so, thus, to that end, to this end * (consequently) hence, then, thus, accordingly, as a result, (math)

    Derived terms

    *

    See also

    *

    whence

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • From where; from which place or source.
  • Whence came I?
    "Pork" comes from French, whence we get most of our modern cooking terms.
  • * 1818 , (Mary Shelley), , Chapter 4:
  • Whence , I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed?
  • * 1898 , , Chapter 3:
  • At first I could not tell what this new sound was, nor whence it came, and now it seemed a little noise close by, and now a great noise in the distance. And then it grew nearer and more defined, and in a moment I knew it was the sound of voices talking.
  • *
  • *
  • Usage notes

    * This word is uncommon in modern usage; from where'' is now usually substituted (as in the example sentence: ''Where did I come from?'' or ''From where did I come? ). It is now chiefly encountered in older works, or in poetic or literary writing. * From whence has a strong literary precedent, appearing in Shakespeare and the King James Bible as well as in the writings of numerous Victorian-era writers. In recent times, however, it has been criticized as redundant by usage commentators.

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • (literary, poetic) (used for introducing the result of a fact that has just been stated)
  • The work is slow and dangerous, whence the high costs.
    I scored more than you in the exam, whence we can conclude that I am better at the subject than you are.

    Antonyms

    * (l)