though

American  

[thoh] / ðoʊ /

conjunction

1. (used in introducing a subordinate clause, which is often marked by ellipsis) notwithstanding that; in spite of the fact that; although.

   Though he tried very hard, he failed the course.

2. even if; granting that (often preceded byeven ).

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adverb

1. for all that; however.

idioms

1. as though, as if.

   It seems as though the place is deserted.

though British  

/ ðəʊ /

conjunction

1. (sometimes preceded by even) despite the fact that

   though he tries hard, he always fails

   poor though she is, her life is happy

2. as if

   he looked as though he'd seen a ghost

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adverb

1. nevertheless; however

   he can't dance: he sings well, though

though More Idioms  

1. see as if (though).

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Commonly Confused

Among some conservatives there is a traditional objection to the use of though in place of although as a conjunction. However, the latter (earlier all though ) was originally an emphatic form of the former, and there is nothing in contemporary English usage to justify such a distinction.

Etymology

Origin of though

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English thoh, from Old Norse thō; replacing Old English thēah; cognate with German doch, Gothic thauh

Explanation

Though is fine conjunction. It's no "but" or "however", though it is a useful word, when you want let a reader know that two ideas are opposing one another. There are two basic kinds of the so-called coordinating conjunctions: those that connect similar thoughts — for example, "and" — and those that disconnect similar thoughts — for instance, "but" and "however." Though fits into the second category. For example "Though Prince is considered 'older' by rock-star standards, his concerts put those of most kids half his age to shame." The "though" in that sentence gets its power from the comma at the midpoint, because that's where the two opposing ideas meet. The word Though at the beginning tells us to look for that comma.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

though

Such terms could prevent Meta from being put at a competitive disadvantage, though TikTok and YouTube may not be inclined to agree to Meta’s proposal since they haven’t been sued by many states.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Non-EU member Norway succeeded in 1994 even though it did not complete the process, he says, while EU states Finland and Sweden secured special terms for agriculture in the far north.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Net profit reached $59.7 billion, up 126 percent from a year earlier, though the figure was boosted by $7.8 billion in gains from Nvidia's portfolio of stakes in AI companies.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

There was a palpable kindness that emanated throughout, as though every employee was working in her honor, whether performing in a show alongside her blood relatives or selling bedazzled tank tops.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

It does scare some of the new personal support workers though, which I’m betting is why his lunch dishes haven’t been cleared away yet.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• although
• even if
• even though
• yet