thereby

Thereby is an adverb used to indicate that an action causes a specific result, or that the action was accomplished by the means described earlier. It connects a preceding clause to its consequence in a formal or written style.

Origin and usage: The word combines there and by, dating from the 15th century. It remains common in legal, academic, and policy writing, and is less frequent in casual conversation. It often signals a direct consequence or a deliberate result of the prior action.

Position and punctuation: Thereby typically follows the clause it relates to and is frequently set off by a comma when the following clause states the result. Examples include: The committee approved the plan, thereby speeding up implementation. The policy change was announced, thereby reducing risk for applicants. It can also appear mid-sentence: The assets were reorganized thereby improving efficiency.

Nuance and alternatives: Thereby emphasizes outcome as a consequence (or, less commonly, the means by which something is done) rather than merely stating a fact. It can be interchangeable with thus, therefore, or as a result in formal writing, though it carries a more formal or literary tone. In everyday prose, people often substitute these simpler connectors to avoid formality. Thereby is not a pronoun and should not be used to indicate location.