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however

conjunction
how·​ev·​er | \ hau̇-ˈe-vər How to pronounce however (audio) \

Definition of however

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : in whatever manner or way that will help however I can
2 archaic : although

however

adverb

Definition of however (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : in whatever manner or way shall serve you, sir, truly, however else— William Shakespeare
b : to whatever degree or extent couldn't convince him, however hard she tried has done this for however many thousands of years— Emma Hawkridge
2 : in spite of that : on the other hand still seems possible, however, that conditions will improve would like to go; however, I think I'd better not
3 : how in the world however did you manage to do it
Synonyms Beginning a Sentence With However More Example Sentences Learn More about however

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Beginning a Sentence With However

However is one in a long list of words that students have been admonished to avoid placing at the beginning of a sentence (others include and, but, for, so, yet, and many more). Can you use however to start a sentence? Yes. Some usage guides will recommend against placing it there when the intended meaning is “nonetheless” but will allow it for other senses of however, but a considerable number of prominent (and not so prominent) writers utilize just this sense of however in the initial position. You should make your own judgment about such use and let your ear guide you regarding its appropriateness.

Examples of however in a Sentence

Conjunction

 Do it however you like. I will help however I can.

Adverb

 I'm all out of eggs; however, I can still make us a nice breakfast.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

 City law enforcement, however, is responsible only for Main and Cowell’s beaches. — Jessica York, The Mercury News, "Overnight curfew set for Santa Cruz’s popular Main Beach," 12 Sep. 2019 Pompeo has persevered, however, as Trump considers him more of a loyalist, willing to carry out his decisions without protest. — Washington Post, "The DIY foreign policy president: Bolton ouster confirms it," 12 Sep. 2019 La Rinconada's most defining feature, however, the one that lured the scientists, is its thin air. — Xing Liu, Science Magazine, "At 5100 meters elevation, a Peruvian gold mining town is the world’s highest settlement—and a good place to study how life at extremely low oxygen levels ravages the body.," 12 Sep. 2019 Through this period, however, Katumbi remained loyal to President Kabila and his ruling party. — Nicolas Niarchos, The New Yorker, "A Top Leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Political Opposition Returns," 12 Sep. 2019 Instead of falling into a skid, however, this year’s squad has pushed for crucial points following losses, keeping itself afloat in the postseason race. — Julia Poe, Pro Soccer USA, "Orlando City embraces high stakes as Lions chase playoff bid," 12 Sep. 2019 Property taxes were expected to decline by about 8 cent per $100 valuation after the law was passed, however the district went above state estimates. — Chris Shelton, Houston Chronicle, "Humble ISD makes major tax-rate cut after bump state funding," 11 Sep. 2019 The Refinitiv deal also faces regulatory hurdles, however. — The Economist, "Hong Kong’s bourse seeks to snap up the London Stock Exchange," 11 Sep. 2019 Due to an altitude measurement error, however, the lander's parachute system was released early, and the lander crashed into Mars. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Europe’s Mars lander parachute problems may be worse than thought," 10 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'however.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of however

Conjunction

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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More Definitions for however

however

conjunction
How to pronounce however (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of however

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: in whatever manner or way

however

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of however (Entry 2 of 2)

—used when you are saying something that is different from or contrasts with a previous statement
: to whatever degree or extent : no matter how
—used as a more forceful way of saying how

See the full definition for however in the English Language Learners Dictionary

however

adverb
how·​ev·​er | \ hau̇-ˈe-vər How to pronounce however (audio) \

Kids Definition of however

1 : to whatever degree or extent Finish the job however long it takes.
2 : in whatever way However you want to do it is fine.
3 : in spite of that The car was old. It did, however, get us home.

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More from Merriam-Webster on however

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with however

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for however

Spanish Central: Translation of however

Nglish: Translation of however for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of however for Arabic Speakers

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