Collocation Dictionary

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Common collocations with cause in American Collocation

cause noun

US /kɔz/

main or important

common
main
major
number-one
primary
prime
principal

The food we eat has become a major cause of ill health and early death, especially among the poor.

exact

actual
exact
precise

The exact cause of the condition is not known.

basic

fundamental
real
root
underlying

Until the root cause of the war is correctly identified, the situation remains hopeless.

possible

likely
possible
probable

The most likely cause of the accident was engine failure.

additional

contributory
secondary

Driver error is found to be a contributory cause in over 90 % of accidents.

single

only
single
sole

Avoiding milk will only help if milk is the sole cause of the allergy.

that can be avoided

avoidable
preventable

Smoking is the single most common preventable cause of premature death and disability.

known/unknown

known
not known
unknown

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

ascertain
determine
diagnose
discover
establish
examine
identify
investigate
pinpoint

A research team has been investigating the causes of large numbers leaving the teaching profession.

be

lie in

The root cause of her unhappiness lies in her childhood experiences.