what with
English edit
Pronunciation edit
Preposition edit
- (idiomatic, informal) Owing to; because of; as a result of.
- She was sleeping very badly these days, what with the new baby and all the activity surrounding him.
- 2009, David Walliams, Mr Stink:
- It was hard to take him seriously, though, what with his multi-colored eye makeup.
Usage notes edit
- Unlike its synonymous expressions, what with is always preceded by a comma if not used at the beginning of a sentence.