due to
preposition
: as a result of : because of
… due to the complaints of uptight parents … he lost his job …—
Herbert Gold
Herbert Gold
Using Due to: Usage Guide
The objection to due to as a preposition is only a continuation of disagreements that began in the 18th century over the proper uses of owing and due. Due to is as grammatically sound as owing to, which is frequently recommended in its place. It has been and is used by reputable writers and has been recognized as standard for decades. There is no solid reason to avoid due to.
Examples of due to in a Sentence
evening classes were cancelled due to heavy snow
Recent Examples on the Web
After making his way back to the bench early in the fourth, Wagner was considered questionable to return due to a right calf strain.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Although the Houthis suspended their attacks on Red Sea shipping in the wake of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire to end their two-year war last fall, most ocean carriers have largely avoided the waterway due to safety risks.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 27 Apr. 2026
The group parted ways after a 1967 European tour, in part due to Phil Spector’s increasingly dictatorial oversight of their releases.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
Since the 1970s more than a third of the world’s wetlands have disappeared, largely due to climate change and urbanization, at a rate that is three times faster than forest loss.
—Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for due to
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Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Although the Houthis suspended their attacks on Red Sea shipping in the wake of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire to end their two-year war last fall, most ocean carriers have largely avoided the waterway due to safety risks.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 27 Apr. 2026
The group parted ways after a 1967 European tour, in part due to Phil Spector’s increasingly dictatorial oversight of their releases.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
Since the 1970s more than a third of the world’s wetlands have disappeared, largely due to climate change and urbanization, at a rate that is three times faster than forest loss.
—Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for due to
Cite this Entry
“Due to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/due%20to. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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