Whereby means by which or under which: it explains how a system or arrangement works. A system whereby readers reserve equipment online is one where readers book things online. A noun almost always comes first: system, scheme, arrangement, process. The word is formal; in conversation, people just say where.
How would you use whereby?
Write a sentence — we'll check that the word fits the meaning and suggest what to fix.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
a system / process / arrangement whereby + subject + verb
- The library uses a system whereby readers reserve equipment online.
- We agreed on an arrangement whereby each team manages one section of the garden.
- The report describes a process whereby discarded fabric becomes insulation.
What changed
First versionThe city cut bus fares, whereby more people started taking the bus.
RevisionThe city cut bus fares, thereby encouraging more people to take the bus.
Whereby and thereby look like twins, and both feel like a formal way of saying 'so', so whereby ends up after an event to report what happened next. But whereby describes how a system works, not a result. For a consequence, use thereby with -ing: cut bus fares, thereby encouraging more people to take the bus.
Thereby means 'as a result of this' and introduces an effect: The city cut fares, thereby reducing traffic. Whereby means 'by which' and explains a mechanism: a scheme whereby students travel for free. Quick test: if system, scheme or arrangement comes right before the gap, you need whereby.
Your turn
A system ___ residents book the shared room online has replaced the paper calendar.
Show the answer
whereby — The gap follows a system, and the rest explains how it works: residents book the room online. That's a mechanism, so whereby. Thereby would introduce a result and need an -ing form.
Describe a rule for sharing chores at home, at work or in a dorm. Put whereby after system or arrangement.
We have an arrangement whereby whoever cooks dinner doesn't have to wash up.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.