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Synonyms

nevertheless

American  
[nev-er-thuh-les] / ˌnɛv ər ðəˈlɛs /

adverb

  1. nonetheless; notwithstanding; however; in spite of that.

    a small but nevertheless important change.


nevertheless British  
/ ˌnɛvəðəˈlɛs /
  1. in spite of that; however; yet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say nevertheless?

The adverb nevertheless means “in spite of that” or “all the same.” How is it different from the words but, still, however, and yet? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Etymology

Origin of nevertheless

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; replacing natheles, notheles natheless; see never, the 2, less

Compare meaning

How does nevertheless compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Explanation

A funny-looking adverb that appears to be made up of three words squished together, nevertheless means “even so" or "all the same.” It’s likely that nevertheless evolved from the Middle English neverthelater, a word with the same sense of “despite anything to the contrary” and “notwithstanding.” You might say of your siblings, "Sure we bicker and get sick of each other sometimes. Nevertheless, they’re family and I love them."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing nevertheless

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Nevertheless, "the Trump-Lula channel is the best thing" the US-Brazil relationship currently has, Bruna Santos, Brazil director at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Nevertheless, betting against Elon Musk has not been a wise strategy in the past.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Nevertheless, investors were worried that a labor market on the mend would make it more difficult for the Federal Reserve to justify leaving interest rates on hold.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

Nevertheless, following the purchase of shares worth almost 30 million Swiss francs earlier this year, management will hopefully demonstrate further confidence, the analyst adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Nevertheless, for weeks after the incident, the girls sat around discussing it, wishing things could have been different.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

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