in any case; anyhow; nonetheless; regardless: Whether you like it or not, I'm going anyway.
(used to continue or resume the thread of a story or account): Anyway, we finally found a plumber who could come right over.
Origin of anyway
First recorded in 1150–1200,anyway is from the Middle English word ani wei. See any, way1
Usage note
The adverb anyway is spelled as one word: It was snowing hard, but we drove to the play anyway. The two-word phrase any way means “in any manner”: Finish the job any way you choose. If the words “in the” can be substituted for “any,” the two-word phrase is called for: Finish the job in the way you choose. If the substitution cannot be made, the spelling is anyway.
1560s, any way "in any manner;" variant any ways (with adverbial genitive) attested from c.1560. One-word form predominated from 1830s. As an adverbial conjunction, from 1859. Middle English in this sense had ani-gates "in any way, somehow" (c.1400).
