However

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /hɑʊˈɛvÉ™/
• US enPR: houÄ•vʹər, IPA: /haʊˈɛvÉš/
• NY IPA: /hÉ‘wÉ›vÉ™/
• Rhymes: -É›vÉ™(r)
• Hyphenation: how + ev + er

Origin

From Middle English how + ever.

Full definition of however

Adverb

1. (conjunctive) Nevertheless, nonetheless, even so, that said, in spite of this.
   He told me not to do it. However, I did it anyway.
• 1893, Walter Besant, The Ivory Gate Chapter Prologue, Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
• 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 2, That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired.
• 2013-06-29, A punch in the gut, Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.
2. (degree) To whatever degree.
   However clear you think you've been, many questions will remain.
3. (manner) In whatever way.
   Let me know when you've had your interview, however it goes.
• 2013-06-21, Oliver Burkeman, The tao of tech, But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention. Partly, this is a result of how online advertising has traditionally worked: advertisers pay for clicks, and a click is a click, however it's obtained.
4. (chiefly British, as an intensified form in interrogatives) In what way?; how?
   However did you do that?

Usage notes

(nevertheless) Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style argues that the adverb however, in its sense of nevertheless should be avoided at the beginning of a sentence.

Synonyms

• after all
• but
• nevertheless
• nonetheless
• notwithstanding
• though
• that said
• still and all

Conjunction

1. In whatever manner (that).Do it however you want.
2. To whatever extent.However far he may get, there'll be many that get further.However much you prepare for the exam, there will still be a few questions on which you won't be sure of the answer.
3. (proscribed) Although, though, but, yet.

Usage notes

(although) The use of however as a conjunction meaning "but" is identical to its use as a clause-initial adverb meaning "nevertheless", except in punctuation (when written) and in prosody (when spoken). Hence, the following proscribed sentence:

He told me not to do it, however I did it.

He told me not to do it; however, I did it.

Anagrams

• whoever