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

Though he sold it for $1,200 and sent it to the platform's auto-generated e-mail address, StubHub cancelled the sale for "non-fulfilment" - withholding his payout and charging him a $1,400 penalty fee.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

Though the academy only admitted its first batch of students in April, founder Jiang Zongfu aims to train 10,000 grill masters within five years.

From Barron's • Jul. 2, 2026

Though the money will start in the fund, it doesn’t have to stay there in the long run.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

Though the powerful 19th-century editor Horace Greeley did so, his former employee and future competitor, Henry J. Raymond, started off as a pro-Whig orator, writer and editor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

Though we can learn much about the Fox sisters’ actions from their believers and detractors, we have little direct evidence for what Maggie or Kate truly thought or felt about their lives.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• although
• even if
• even though
• yet