► thereforeas a result of something that has just been mentioned: Their car was bigger and therefore more comfortable.
► so used when saying that something happens or someone does something as a result of something else: They had not eaten all day, so they were very hungry.
► as a result/consequently/as a consequence used when saying what the result of something is: The law on seat belts was changed, and as a result thousands of lives have been saved. This disease attacks the plant, the flower does not open, and consequently no seeds are produced.
► thus formal as a result of what you have just mentioned: The dinosaurs all died out within a short period of time. Thus it seems likely that there must have been some kind of catastrophic event.
► hence formal for this reason: The lake has ice on it all year, hence the name “Iceberg Lake.”
► thereby formal used when saying what the result of something is. You use thereby in the middle of a sentence: These two companies merged, thereby creating the company that exists today.
► accordingly formal used when saying that someone makes a decision as a result of something: The jury found him not guilty. Accordingly, the judge set him free.