What does whereupon mean?
Whereupon is a formal conjunction meaning “at which time,” “immediately after which,” or, in a sentence introducing a consequence, “and then.” It links one event or situation directly to what followed: a decision was reached, whereupon the meeting ended. The word has a distinctly literary or archaic tone and is less common in ordinary conversation than conjunctions such as “so” or “and then.” In older usage, it can function as a relative adverb meaning “in or on which,” as in “the place whereupon they met,” but this sense is now restricted and often appears in formal or historical writing. Whereupon is especially useful when a writer wants to emphasize the sequence between two events without making the connection sound conversational. Its compact combination of “where” and “upon” makes it memorable, though the formal register can make it sound ceremonial in modern contexts.
At which time; immediately after which.
"The signal sounded, whereupon the runners set off."
Formal, literary, or archaic; often used to mark an immediate consequence or the next event in a sequence.
In or on which place.
"They returned to the house wherein they had spent their childhood."
Archaic or highly formal, and much less common than the conjunction sense.
A literary super-connector: whereupon quietly announces that something happened next.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does whereupon come from?
Whereupon was formed in English by combining the words “where” and “upon.” “Where” descends from Old English hwǣr, while “upon” developed from Old English uppon, formed from “up” and “on.” The combined word appears in English during the early modern period and is related in structure to words such as “wherein,” “whereby,” and “wherewithal,” although it has its own established grammatical use.
How whereupon is actually used
Chiefly formal, literary, or archaic. In contemporary writing it is most often used to connect a preceding event with its immediate consequence; the locative use is much less common.
Easily confused with whereupon
Whereas introduces a contrast between two facts, while whereupon introduces what happened immediately afterward or at a particular point.
Whereby means by which, especially by the means of which, while whereupon means at which time or immediately after which.