somehow
Americanadverb
idioms
adverb
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in some unspecified way
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Also: somehow or other. by any means that are necessary
Etymology
Origin of somehow
Explanation
Somehow means "in some unknown way" or "by some means." When you watch a superhero movie, you know that the heroine will somehow escape the trap set by the evil villain — you're just not sure exactly how she'll do it. Your best friend might not notice your new haircut, but he still might remark, "You look different somehow." When you use this adverb in this particular way, it means "in an unknown way or for an unknown reason." So your pal knows you changed something, but he can't quite figure out what it is. When somehow first appeared in print, around 1660, it was in the phrase "somehow or other."
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.
Yet, a majority voted to permit their production, arguing with a straight face that having “regulated peptides” was somehow better than letting people buy unvetted black-market remedies.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
"We've got to decarbonise and the electricity's got to move somehow," he added.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
As it turns out, Bondi was fired that very day, so it’s a fair guess that these comments somehow got to Trump, perhaps via Giuliani himself.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
“But we’re also going to be smart about it, and not just have some idea that if we stop exporting, that somehow magically is going to help the prices.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
“You know what? I feel sorry for you, Grace,” she finally tells me, her voice somehow hard and squeaky at the same time.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
