“However” is undoubtedly a great word to use to counter a previous point you’ve made in writing. It can be somewhat overdone, which is why we think it’s time to look at some synonyms for it. This article will explore all the best alternatives for “however.”
Which Words Can I Use Instead Of “However”?
There are plenty of options to replace “however,” each one offering a different way for you to introduce a counterpoint or idea. This article will look at the following:
- But
- Nevertheless
- Still
- Yet
- Though
- Although
- Despite that
- Be that as it may
- Having said that
The preferred version is “but” because it’s the most common one seen in English. Most people know what it means, and it’s easy to read on a page (since it only features three letters).
But
Another way to say however is by using “but,” and it’s perhaps the most popular choice to do so.
“But” works well when we want to introduce a counterargument while keeping the text light and easy to comprehend. It’s the quickest way to use “however” and doesn’t need to be used in more formal contexts.
Generally, “however” is a formal word. We mostly use it in articles or writing designed to capture the formal audience’s attention. “But” isn’t as strict with its usage, and you can find it equally in informal and formal writing styles.
You might see “but” in some of the following ways:
- I liked that idea, but I don’t think it’s wise to continue talking about it.
- They tried hard to find the gold, but it was to no avail.
- This mission was a resounding success, but there is still more to find out there.
Nevertheless
Next, we come to “nevertheless,” which is a slightly less common phrase that works in formal situations.
“Nevertheless” and “nonetheless” are interchangeable and mean the same thing. You can use either to introduce a counterargument from the previous point.
Just like most of the words on this list, “nevertheless” is an independent clause that we use to include more information on the previous point, which means we need to include correct punctuation.
The correct punctuation choices include a semi-colon or a period before “nevertheless” and a comma after it.
- They worked hard for what they achieved; nevertheless, people looked down on them.
- You shouldn’t have said that to me; nevertheless, I will have to act on it accordingly.
- There are plenty of things wrong with this project; nevertheless, he will work on it.
Still
“Still” is one of the best choices to replace “but,” and many native speakers use the two interchangeably throughout their writing to keep things unique and creative.
“Still” works well to introduce a counterpoint and comes with the same punctuation needs as “however.” It means the same as “but” but is used as an independent clause to introduce a new idea to an argument or qualify a previous one.
“Still” is one of the easiest words on this list to use, and it doesn’t always have to introduce a counter idea. Instead, it can reaffirm the previous statement, though it’s rare to see it used in this way.
- No one could beat them. Still, she thought her team stood a good chance.
- You should keep quiet while I work. Still, I don’t reckon you’ll be too fond about doing that.
- There is much to do today; still, I don’t see a way to get it all done.
Yet
“Yet” and “but” are synonymous. They use the same language rules, which helps many writers use them. “Yet” is definitely a better choice to replace “but” than “still” is, which a lot of people overlook.
“Yet” only needs a comma to work in a sentence, just like “but.” We can use it whenever we’re introducing a point that doesn’t agree with the previous one stated.
People often find “yet” easy to use because it’s quick to say and only consists of three letters (much like “but”).
- I don’t see you helping, yet I hear you complaining an awful lot.
- We must work together on this, yet you insist on ignoring our commands.
- The government works in mysterious ways, yet they always make their mistakes popular in the media.
Though
“Though” is another common choice which we often see instead of “however.” Many people think it works in the same way as “although.” It’s simply a shorter version of “although” in the case of countering an argument.
“Though” is a great choice, like “yet” and “but,” which only requires a comma to work.
You will find “though” written quite a lot in English when introducing a counterpoint, and here are some examples of how it might look:
- I can see where you’re coming from, though I don’t much like your idea.
- There was a lot of money in the project, though they weren’t keen on telling us that.
- We found what we were looking for, though we weren’t best pleased with the result.
Although
“Although” is identical to “though.” We use both words for the same reason, and it seems that “though” has evolved over time to replace “although.”
“Although” is a great synonym, though it’s clear that “though” is becoming the more popular choice of the two. Both follow the same language rules, making them easier to use than “however.”
“Although” is an old-fashioned word, and many native speakers think the “al-” prefix is redundant and unnecessary. For that reason, “though” is more common today.
- I’d like to take you to dinner, although I don’t think you’ll agree to that.
- There have been many reports of injuries in this area, although the police haven’t confirmed anything suspicious.
- The news is full of lies, although no one is sure how or why they get there.
Despite That
“Despite that” is the first alternative way of saying “however” that uses more than one word in this list. We like it because it works well in more formal situations.
“Despite that” is a formal phrase. We use it to talk about a counterargument from the previous point raised, and many essays are elevated in quality when using a phrase like “despite that.”
While many of the one-word options above are great for both formal and informal cases, “despite that” is mostly only for formalities. That makes it the ideal candidate for essay writing, research papers, and work emails.
- The findings have proved many things wrong about this study; despite that, I’m still willing to progress with my initial hypothesis.
- You could find faults wherever you look. Despite that, the world is still beautiful in its own way.
- I have found many discrepancies in the profit register. Despite that, I believe this work is dutiful and moral.
Be That As It May
“Be that as it may” is another phrase rather than a one-word choice. We use it in the same way as “despite that,” and it means that while the previous point means one thing, we’d like to raise another idea.
“Be that as it may” is another formal option that you’ll only find in those situations. It will rarely be used in a casual environment.
- We have yet to see results. Be that as it may, we will keep working towards them.
- You don’t know what you’re doing here. Be that as it may, you’ve got a right to see what we’re doing.
- Be that as it may, I don’t think you can talk to me in such a manner.
Having Said That
“Having said that” is synonymous with “be that as it may,” to mean that, while we’re saying one thing, we’re about to raise a point that highlights the opposite.
Again, “having said that” is a formal choice, though it’s not quite as formal as some of the others.
- You shouldn’t be here. Having said that, I think you can help me.
- There are many more places to explore in this world. Having said that, studies show it’s unlikely that we’ll ever explore them.
- The solar system is a vast expanse of nothing. Having said that, I’m excited to see where space travel might take us.
What Does “However” Mean?
“However” means despite the previous statement. We use it when we want to talk about a contradicting idea to the one we just raised, even if that seems counterintuitive to the goal of our writing.
The definition of “however,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “despite whatever amount of degree.”
Can You Say “But However”?
“But however” is never grammatically correct. It’s known as reduplication, where we use two words that have the same meaning. Ultimately “but however” means “but but” or “however however.” Both of those statements are grammatically incorrect.
Which Is Better: But Or However”?
According to this graph, “but” is more popular than “however,” making it the more recognized and thus better choice than “however.”
Many people prefer using “but” because it’s much easier to find a place to write it in your writing. Also, because it comes with less strict punctuation rules, it’s easier for people still trying to learn the language to use it effectively.
You might also like: How To Use However In The Middle Of A Sentence (9 Examples)
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
There are lots of strange ideas surrounding the word ‘however’. Some teachers tell their students they shouldn’t begin a new sentence with the word ‘but’, and should substitute the word ‘however’ instead.
However (as it were), this misses the fact that ‘but’ and ‘however’ are different classes of words, with ‘but’ being a conjunction and ‘however’ being an adverb.
Curiously, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) names Shakespeare as the first citation of ‘however’ as a synonym for ‘but’ or ‘notwithstanding’: Shakespeare’s late history play Henry VIII, co-authored with John Fletcher, contains the lines: ‘All the Land knowes that: / How euer, yet there is no great breach.’ As the tautological ‘How euer, yet’ shows, ‘However’ is being used to mean ‘yet’ or ‘nevertheless’ here.
In any case, there’s nothing wrong with using ‘but’ at the start of a sentence – and much can go wrong if you misuse ‘however’, treating it as a simple synonym for ‘but’. Let’s take a closer look at some of the alternatives to the word ‘however’ and how they can be used in speech and writing.
Synonyms for ‘however’
Let’s start with BUT. This short, simple word is a conjunction, because it is used to join clauses together, much like ‘and’. Consider these two statements, involving going to look for the cat:
A: I looked in the garden and the cat was there.
B: I looked in the garden but the cat wasn’t there.
In both cases, the (italicised) conjunction) joins the two clauses together, but in B, of course, the cat isn’t there so the conjunction but is used. But we could also have used however here:
I looked in the garden; however, the cat wasn’t there.
However is an adverb rather than a conjunction, hence the comma that follows it. Adverbs are often words ending in -ly, such as happily or sadly or quickly, and one can imagine a slightly different sentence that might read:
I looked in the garden; happily, the cat was there.
So but is a simpler and more direct way of saying virtually the same thing as however in such examples.
Another short word, YET, serves a similar function, and can therefore serve as a synonym for however, as in ‘I looked in the garden, yet the cat wasn’t there’.
The word STILL works slightly differently from but and yet and is, in some ways, closer to however than either of those. Indeed, in syntax it is often literally closer to however, since the two are used together, as in this example from the historian Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1825: ‘Still, however, there was another extreme which, though far less dangerous, was also to be avoided.’
In such an example, ‘still’ means something similar to NONETHELESS (or NEVERTHELESS: they are both synonyms for each other): that is, DESPITE THAT, THAT BEING SAID, ALL THE SAME, or JUST THE SAME.
For instance, ‘I know it’s useless buying a lottery ticket; still, someone’s got to win, haven’t they?’ A synonym for still in this sense (and for nonetheless/nevertheless) is NOTWITHSTANDING.
AFTER ALL also performs this function, as in Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene (1590): ‘Yet after all, he victour did suruiue’ means essentially, ‘however, he survived as victor’.
Indeed, a suite of words which also convey this idea of just the same or notwithstanding are REGARDLESS, ANYHOW, ANYWAY, and EVEN SO. Remember to steer clear of ‘irregardless’, a word frowned upon because it makes no sense (the ir- prefix presumably negates the word regardless, so its meaning would be the opposite of ‘regardless’).
THOUGH and ALTHOUGH are two more words which can be used more or less interchangeably with however. For instance, ‘He’s a good singer; however, he’s no Frank Sinatra’ could be rewritten quite easily to read, ‘He’s a good singer, (al)though he’s no Frank Sinatra’.
Using though (or although) arguably softens the blow of the criticism of the person’s singing in the second half of the sentence, in a way that however does not: however acts as performative throat-clearing before delivering the stinging indictment of the singer’s abilities, whereas though and although keep the emphasis slightly focused towards the start of the sentence, and the good news (‘He’s a good singer …’).
A slightly more archaic synonym for however is HOWBEIT. Whereas albeit has lasted, howbeit, which means roughly BE THAT AS IT MAY, has become largely obsolete and so is best avoided as an archaism or old-fashioned word. Of course, if you’re writing historical fiction, it may be just the term you’re looking for!
Antonyms for ‘however’
If however sees the clause which follows it swerving away from the clause which precedes it (as in the example ‘I looked in the garden; however, the cat wasn’t there’), then good antonyms for however see the two clauses agreeing with each other: the latter one follows naturally and smoothly from the former.
With this in mind, we might identify THEREFORE, THUS, and SO as antonyms for however.
however
- even so,
- howbeit,
- nevertheless,
- nonetheless,
- notwithstanding,
- still,
- still and all,
- though,
Can nonetheless replace however?
CONTRASIVE: however, nevertheless, in contrast, on the contrary, nonetheless, otherwise, on the other hand, in comparison, conversely, instead.
What is another word to use instead of this?
What is another word for this?
| such | that |
|---|---|
| these | those |
What is a stronger word for however?
but in spite of that. even so. having said that. in spite of that. nonetheless.
What can I replace but with?
synonyms for but
- although.
- however.
- nevertheless.
- on the other hand.
- still.
- though.
- yet.
Can I replace but with however?
One common replacement for “but” in academic writing is “however.” But we use this adverb to show a sentence contrasts with something previously said. As such, rather than connecting two parts of a sentence, it should only be used after a semicolon or in a new sentence: I like Brian May’s guitar solos.
What can I say instead of please?
What is another word for please?
delight content pleasure charm entertain indulge cheer oblige overjoy suit What can I say instead of like?
In place of “like,” try, “for example,” “say,” “nearly,” or “about.” Eventually, you may want to correct for additional words altogether, but for now, use these words as a crutch to stop using “like.”
How do you use the word however?
‘However’ can be used to join two simple sentences to make a compound sentence. ‘However’ indicates that the relationship between the two independent clauses is one of contrast or opposition. The engineers claimed that the bridge was safe; however, they were still not prepared to risk crossing.
Does Notwithstanding mean however?
1. Notwithstanding, despite, in spite of imply that something is true even though there are obstacles or opposing conditions. The three expressions may be used practically interchangeably. Notwithstanding suggests, however, a hindrance of some kind: Notwithstanding the long delay, I shall still go.
Is however better than but?
But is often regarded as more informal than however. Some people think you can’t use but at the beginning of a sentence. In fact many writers use but at the beginning of a sentence and there is no reason to object to the practice provided that it is not overdone.
How do you say tell me in a formal way?
Formal synonyms of ‘TELL’
- Inform. It has exactly the same meaning and uses as ‘tell’.
- Notify. It has exactly the same meaning and uses as ‘tell/inform’.
- Brief. Although it has same meaning as ‘tell/inform’, when you use ‘brief’ it suggests that you did it for a long time and in a lot of detail.
- Apprise.
What’s another way to say please let me know?
What is another word for let me know?
keep me apprised keep me informed keep me posted keep me updated notify me How can I talk without saying like?
How to: Stop Saying “Like” and Immediately Sound Smarter
- Learn how to use “like” correctly.
- Pause when you would say “like.”
- Ask others to help you.
- Record yourself.
- Replace “like” with another word.
- Know the most common ways “like” is misused.
- Learn new words.
- Challenge yourself.
Can I use however and despite in the same sentence?
We use ‘although’ and ‘despite / in spite of’ to connect two clauses in the same sentence. We put ‘however’ in the second sentence, and we can put it at the beginning, at the end, or after the subject.
Should however have two commas?
As a conjunctive adverb, however is used to combine two sentences and show their contrast or opposition. When however is used at the beginning of a sentence, there should be a comma (,) after however if what follows the word is a complete sentence.
Does Notwithstanding mean regardless?
When used as adverbs, notwithstanding means nevertheless, all the same, whereas regardless means without attention to warnings or indications of bad consequences. Notwithstanding is also noun with the meaning: an instance of the word “notwithstanding”, often characteristic of legalese.
Does Notwithstanding mean Despite?
Notwithstanding means “despite.” Let’s look at notwithstanding in a sentence, first as a preposition: Its meaning is close to “nevertheless” or “in spite of this”: Although he didn’t have a lot of experience, they decided to hire him notwithstanding .
What is a stronger word than I love you?
Cherish – I cherish my time with you. This is stronger than the word ‘love’ in that it shows just how much you value spending time with them.
What is another word for However?
Use filters to view other words, we have 193 synonyms for however.
If you know synonyms for However, then you can share it or put your rating in listed similar words.
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However Synonym! What is another word for however? Powerful list of 42 synonyms for however with example sentences and ESL images. Learn these however synonyms to broaden your vocabulary words and improve your writing in English.
However Synonym
List of Synonyms for However
Learn useful list of 42 synonyms for however in English.
- All the same
- Although
- And yet
- Anyhow
- Anyway
- At any rate
- At the same time
- Be that as it may
- But
- But despite that
- But for all that
- But still
- But then again
- Contrariwise
- Despite
- Despite that
- Despite the fact that
- Even so
- Even though
- For all that
- Having said that
- Howbeit
- However
- In any case
- In spite of
- In spite of everything
- In spite of that
- Just the same
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
- Notwithstanding
- On the flip side
- On the other hand
- Per contra
- Regardless of
- Still and all
- That said
- Though
- Whereas
- While
- Without regard to
- Yet
Other Ways to Say However | Infographic
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Other Ways to Say However
However Synonyms with Examples
Learn another word for however with example sentences.
- All the same
All the same, there is some truth in what he says.
- Although
Although it was late, there was still enough time to keep the rendezvous.
- And yet
The boy is so fat and yet he runs very fast.
- Anyhow
Anyhow, we must find a way out of this impasse.
- Anyway
It’s going to be difficult. Anyway, we can try.
- At any rate
At any rate, the size of new fields is diminishing.
- At the same time
I can’t really explain it, at the same time I’m not convinced.
- Be that as it may
I accept that he’s old and frail; be that as it may, he’s still a good politician.
- But
A word is no arrow, but it can pierce the heart.
- But despite that
But despite that, Gloucestershire County Council still can’t find another school that will accept him as a full time student.
- But for all that
He has many faults, but for all that I like him.
- But still
We waited on for another hour, but still she didn’t come.
- But then again
This is better, but then again it costs more.
- Contrariwise
He gives permission, and, contrariwise, she refuses it.
- Despite
Despite the bad weather, we enjoyed ourselves.
- Despite that
Despite that you still owe me $100, I am willing to lend you another $100.
- Despite the fact that
He refused to help me, despite the fact that I asked him several times.
- Even so
It was raining, even so we had to go out.
- Even though
She hasn’t phoned, even though she said she would.
- For all that
He has many faults, but for all that I like him.
- Having said that
He forgets most things, but having said that, he always remembers my birthday.
- Howbeit
Howbeit, we never met again.
- In any case
In any case, she couldn’t have held a conversation there.
- In spite of
They went on with their basketball match in spite of the rain.
- In spite of everything
In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.
- In spite of that
In spite of that, the availability both here and in Britain should be known to the public at large.
- Just the same
I put on my raincoat and big straw hat. But we got soaked just the same.
- Nevertheless
He was very tired; nevertheless he went on walking.
- Nonetheless
Though he’s fool, I like him nonetheless.
- Notwithstanding
Notwithstanding she is beautiful,she doesn’t think it goes for much.
- On the flip side
On the flip side, accepting them and not having your needs met is not healthy either.
- On the other hand
I want to go to the party, on the other hand I ought to be studying.
- Per contra
He had worked very hard on the place; she, per contra, had little to do.
- Regardless of
Regardless of how often I correct him, he always makes the same mistake.
- Still and all
Even though you dislike us, still and all you should be polite.
- That said
That said, there are still places to get free Internet access.
- Though
Though John and Andrew look exactly alike, they act quite differently.
- Whereas
She actually enjoys confrontation, whereas I prefer a quiet life.
- While
Other man live to eat, while I eat to live.
- Yet
The path was dark, yet I found my way.
Synonyms for However with Examples | Infographic
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