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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."

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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, Di Maria's criticisms are pointed and personal.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

Nevertheless, President Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that he was in no hurry to agree to a deal.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

Nevertheless, many states don’t buy that this distinction matters, especially when it comes to things like sports predictions.

From Salon • May 24, 2026

Nevertheless, the wormhole metaphor flourished in popular culture and speculative theoretical physics.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Nevertheless, it has been claimed that the innovations of Galileo, Hooke and Huygens made possible the geared machinery of the Industrial Revolution.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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