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Whereupon vs Whereby - What's the difference?

whereupon | whereby |

As a conjunction whereupon

is after which, in consequence.

As an adverb whereby is

by what, in which direction; how.

whereupon

English

Conjunction

(English Conjunctions)
  • After which, in consequence.
    • The network went down, whereupon I made a cup of tea
  • Upon which.
    • the wet cliff whereupon he stood
  • * 1835 , John Nichols, The Gentleman's Magazine , volume 158, page 495:
    • My tender wife and children standing by, / Dewing the death-bed whereupon I lie.
  • * 1846 , John Clarke Crosthwaite, Alexander Watson, Practical sermons, by dignitaries and other clergymen , page 270:
    • You see that the Apostle speaks as one who had distinct and certain knowledge of the grounds whereupon he was standing.
  • * 1880 , Cassell's family magazine , page 262:
    • Gradually, however, the white clouds resolved themselves into the snowy linen and coverlets of a bed whereupon he was lying, whilst the crimson light proved to be the effect of a blazing fire, [...]
  • * 1889 , Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly , volume 27, page 78:
    • He sprung from his bed, whereupon one of them had fired. He pursued them as they retreated, and they fled out of the house by the back door. Thereupon he returned to the bed, saw that his wife had been shot, and roused the servants [...]
  • * 1907 , Francis Bazley Lee, Genealogical and personal memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey , volume 2, page 530:
    • [...] could take no rest except such as he obtained by supporting himself on his knees and elbows, being unable to suffer any part of his body to touch the bed whereupon he lay.

    Synonyms

    * (in consequence of which) whereat

    See also

    * thereabout, thereafter, thereagainst, thereat, thereby, therefor, therefore, therefrom, therein, thereinafter, thereof, thereon, thereto, theretofore, thereunder, thereunto, thereupon, therewith, therewithal * hereabout, hereafter, hereat, hereby, herein, hereinafter, hereinbefore, hereinto, hereof, hereon, hereto, heretofore, hereunto, hereunder, hereupon, herewith * whereabouts, whereas, whereafter, whereat, whereby, wherefore, wherefrom, wherein, whereinto, whereof, whereon, whereto, whereunder, wherever, wherewith, wherewithal English pronominal adverbs

    whereby

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (interrogative, obsolete) By what, in which direction; how
  • By which.
  • * 1990 , Local management of schools , Kogan Page Ltd:
    • Other heads saw devolution as a whole new way of life and adopted an approach whereby the power of devolution was used to enable the school to drive the curriculum.
  • (nonstandard) Where.
  • * 1992 , The hotel receptionist , Paige, Jane and Paige, Grace, Cassell Educational:
    • This is an electronic system whereby executives are issued with small bleepers.

    Usage notes

    Use of whereby as a formal equivalent of where'' is nonstandard and is avoided by careful speakers and writers, who use ''where'' or ''in which instead. The term typically fails readability and comprehension review so it is generally avoided in published works. The term is also avoided by speakers as it makes it difficult to understand the message that is trying to be communicated.

    See also

    * thereabout, thereafter, thereagainst, thereat, thereby, therefor, therefore, therefrom, therein, thereinafter, thereof, thereon, thereto, theretofore, thereunder, thereunto, thereupon, therewith, therewithal * hereabout, hereafter, hereat, hereby, herein, hereinafter, hereinbefore, hereinto, hereof, hereon, hereto, heretofore, hereunto, hereunder, hereupon, herewith * whereabouts, whereas, whereafter, whereat, whereby, wherefore, wherefrom, wherein, whereinto, whereof, whereon, whereto, whereunder, whereupon, wherever, wherewith, wherewithal English pronominal adverbs