Meanings
interjectionwhy in the world ...?
- idiomaticused to add emphasis to “why” in a question.
Why in the world would you spend so much money on a toy?
Synonyms: why on Earth, why in God's name
Synonyms & antonyms
interjectionused to add emphasis to “why” in a question.
Also see
Cite this entry
APA
why in the world. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/why%20in%20the%20world
MLA
“why in the world.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/why%20in%20the%20world. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “why in the world,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/why%20in%20the%20world.
Source: why in the world on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.