Word
whereby
Phoneticswhere·by
US/hwɛɹˈbaɪ/
UK/wˈeəbaɪ/
Definitions
01by which / through which
conj. you use this to show the method or system that makes something possible.
conj. introduces a relative clause indicating the means or mechanism by which the preceding noun functions or is achieved.
“The school created a new system whereby students can choose their own projects.”
“The government has implemented a new regulatory framework whereby local authorities are granted greater autonomy over their infrastructure budgets.”
Formal · Academic
Usage
Usually follows a noun like 'system', 'process', 'arrangement', or 'mechanism'.
Teaching tip
This is a high-level connective common in academic writing and legal documents; students should use it to replace 'by which' for a more formal tone.
Synonyms
02how / by what means
adv. an old way of asking 'how' or 'by what means' something happened.
adv. an interrogative adverb used to inquire about the means or manner of an action.
“Whereby shall we know that this story is true?”
“Whereby shall the witness prove his presence at the scene, given the lack of physical evidence?”
Archaic · Literary
Usage
Used as an interrogative at the start of a question.
Teaching tip
This sense is rarely encountered outside of historical literature or religious texts like the King James Bible.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The airline would operate using a wet-lease (ACMI) model, whereby instead of holding its own Air Operator Certificate, it handles sales and marketing while an airline partner provides the planes, crew, and flight operations.” “Desertification, the phenomenon whereby fertile land becomes unproductive and desert-like, is spreading at alarming rates across the globe due to rising temperatures, droughts and deforestation.” “Others, such as Spain, opted for a “declaratory” system, whereby EU citizens just had to register their presence before Brexit.” Etymology
From where + by.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/whereby