Notwithstanding

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ËŒnÉ’twɪθˈstændɪŋ/
• US IPA: /ËŒnÉ‘twɪθˈstændɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -ændɪŋ

Alternative forms

• noughtwithstanding obsolete and rare

Origin

Middle English notwithstandinge, from a calque from Latin nōn obstante ("not standing")

Full definition of notwithstanding

Adverb

1. Nevertheless, all the same.
• 1599, William Shakespeare, , i 4:But notwithstanding, man,
  

Synonyms

• (nevertheless) all the same, nevertheless, nonetheless

Conjunction

1. Although.
• 1724, Daniel Defoe, , ch. 30:Upon which Amy had said, that notwithstanding I was angry with her and had used her so hardly for saying something about her of the same kind, yet there was an absolute necessity of securing her and removing her out of the way;

Usage notes

The conjunction is sometimes expressed in the form notwithstanding that, as in "the front was nearly four miles in advance, notwithstanding that the men marched three abreast" (Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, ch. 49. See .).

Preposition

1. In spite of, despite.
• Dr. H. MoreThose on whom Christ bestowed miraculous cures were so transported that their gratitude made them, notwithstanding his prohibition, proclaim the wonders he had done.
• 1826, James Fenimore Cooper, , ch. 26:Notwithstanding the high resolution of Hawkeye he fully comprehended all the difficulties and danger he was about to incur.
• 1679 — , section 11And be it declared and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that an Habeas Corpus, according to the true intent and meaning of this act, may be directed and seen in any county Palatine, the Cinque Ports, or other privileged places within the Kindgom of England, dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick upon Tweed, and the islands of Jersey and Guernsey; any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

Usage notes

Often used after its complement, the etymology of its name notwithstanding.

Synonyms

• (in spite of) despite, in spite of, maugre

Derived terms

• notwithstanding clause Canada

Noun

1. An instance of the word "notwithstanding", often characteristic of legalese.
• 2003, Banesh Hoffmann, The Tyranny of Testing (page 53)It is not for nothing that our language has its ifs and buts, its yets and howevers, its neverthelesses and notwithstandings, its possiblies and probablies and perhapses, and its on-the-other-hands.
• 2004, Trevor Carolan, Down in the Valley: Writing in British Columbia (page 107)Letters from the English usually contained very formally typed documents with lots of heretofores and whereases and notwithstandings.
• 2010, Richard Marcinko, Red Cell (page 149)The agreements were filled with wheretofores and herebys and hereafters and notwithstandings.