somehow

American  

[suhm-hou] / ˈsʌmˌhaʊ /

adverb

1. in some way not specified, apparent, or known.

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idioms

1. somehow or other, in an undetermined way; by any means possible.

   She was determined to finish college somehow or other.

somehow British  

/ ˈsʌmˌhaʊ /

adverb

1. in some unspecified way

2. Also: somehow or other.  by any means that are necessary

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somehow More Idioms  

1. see under or other.

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Etymology

Origin of somehow

First recorded in 1655–65; some + how ¹

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

Somehow, though, Sara Dosa’s documentary on this matter, “Time and Water,” avoids playing like a funeral in waiting.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

Somehow it was fitting that it came to this.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Somehow, though, they’ve never been paired together in the final round of a major that one of them won—or the exact type of showdown the playoff would have delivered.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Somehow, American politics has only grown stranger since then.

From Slate • May 7, 2026

Somehow, I made it onto a Yellow Car and into an empty seat near the rear.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• anyway