10 Better Ways to Say “Not Only” (Formal Synonyms)

You can use “not only” to add information to something that is true. It emphasizes that something else is true (and usually more important) than the original statement. This article will look at another word for “not only” that can be used in formal situations.

The preferred synonyms are “besides,” “as well as,” and “in addition.” Each of these allows you to emphasize the truth of a statement. It can also help you to rank the statements or sentences in order of which is the most important (made clearer through context).

Besides

“Besides” is the best formal synonym for “not only.” It shows that you are emphasizing a secondary point that you believe might be as important as the first. You’re letting the reader know that it’s worth considering both options.

This is a great way to show that you have considered all the angles in your writing. It allows you to demonstrate two similar views. You don’t have to decide which is more important, but it might be made clear to the reader.

• Besides being told not to do the things she was doing; she was also informed that she needed to relocate as soon as she could.
• Besides the original projects, there were a couple more that needed work. I had to make sure that I was in charge of them.
• Besides the awful things she has said to other people, I believe she is trying to do what’s right for us.

As Well As

“As well as” is a fairly common alternative in this context. You can use it to show that you’re adding more information that goes alongside whatever has previously been stated.

Again, you don’t have to determine which piece of information is more relevant or important. “As well as” simply shows that two things go hand-in-hand with each other.

• As well as what was said earlier, I think it’s important that we try to work as a team here. We don’t have time for any more failure.
• As well as those things, you should know that we can’t keep running around like this. It’s not feasible for the overall operations.
• I’m not going to talk about it. As well as the rest of it, I don’t see much of a reason why anyone needs to know what’s going on.

In Addition

“In addition” is another great formal synonym for “not only.” You can use it to add something new to whatever you’re writing about. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for a way to show your reader the different sides of an argument.

“In addition” (and most of the other phrases listed) can come at the start of a brand new sentence.

You can follow it with the first piece of information you want to discuss, followed immediately by a second clause with a similar piece of information.

• In addition to the way he acted at work, he has decided to take that behavior home with him and get himself into trouble.
• In addition to what you said, I think it’s best that we try and figure out a way for us all to agree on something here. It’s about time.
• In addition to that, you should know that we’re going to review both of them. It’s for the good of the company.

Also

“Also” is a good choice to replace “not only.” You can use it in the middle of a sentence to add more information for the reader. This information is just as true as whatever was previously stated, and it’s up to the reader to determine whether it’s more important than the rest.

“Also” isn’t all that common when replacing “not only.” Nevertheless, it can work well as a formal substitute, so it’s worth having it ready.

• She wanted to learn more about it but also thought that it was time for the rest of the people to understand what she could see.
• He told me loads about you. Also, he wanted to let you know that there were a few errors in the project that he couldn’t fix.
• I’m not sure what to do about this, and also, I feel like it’s about time that someone stepped in to help me out with it.

Aside From

“Aside from” is a great alternative in this situation. It shows that something should be considered as an “aside.” That means it should work alongside a stated fact (which often comes as part of the same clause as “aside from”).

“Aside from” doesn’t necessarily make one fact more important than the other. Since they run “aside from” each other, it implies that they are equally as important. It mainly works to show that both statements are true.

• Aside from the project’s simplicity, I think you shouldn’t have much issue finding someone to help you with it.
• Aside from what she said about me, I like her. I know that doesn’t make sense, but I feel like we have a good connection.
• Aside from the facts laid before us, we need to be sure that we’re on the same page. Does everyone appreciate that?

Merely

“Merely” is a good synonym in some cases. You can use it in the middle of a sentence, followed by “because.” It works well to show that you have considered certain options and have found that one might have had an important part to play in some decisions.

• Merely because someone thought of it doesn’t mean it’s true. We need to make sure we’ve covered all aspects before moving on.
• I wanted to do something like this merely because I thought it would be fun. I hope you can appreciate that.
• She wanted to talk to you merely because she had a few things weighing her down. Did she approach you in the end?

On Top Of

“On top of” is another great choice. It is used to “stack” two or more sentences on top of each other. This stack usually allows you to present two pieces of information in order of which is more important or relevant.

This is a great one to use in formal writing. It makes it much clearer to the reader that something is more important. It creates a hierarchy by using “on top of” to show that something comes “above” another thing.

• On top of the discussion during the meeting, you’ve got a few other things that need to be completed. Are you okay with that?
• On top of the original report, I need another one from you before the end of the day. It’s vital that you get this done.
• On top of everything else, I wanted to know what was best for us. Is there anything you might need from me now?

Furthermore

“Furthermore” has multiple uses in formal writing. In this context, you can use it to add further information to what you might have suggested. This information doesn’t have to relate directly and can instead relate to something that is more important than before.

Unlike most of the other options, “furthermore” almost always needs a sentence to come before it. It needs to elaborate on a previous sentence, whereas most of the options in this article can start their own idea in a sentence.

• Furthermore, there will come times when we need to work together. I want you to help me figure out when those times come.
• I’m not sure about this. Furthermore, there appear to be some errors in your coding. We have to iron those out first.
• We wanted to change the world. Furthermore, we thought we had the ability to do that easily. We were wrong.

Together With

“Together with” is a good one that shows how two things interact in a sentence. It doesn’t often present them as two independent ideas where one is more important than the other. Instead, it shows that both ideas should be viewed in an equal light.

• Together with the things we discussed, I think it’s important that we share the information. It’s about time that the employees know.
• Together with everything else, you should find it a lot easier to move past this point in your life. Can you do that?
• Together with those things, it’s been made clear that you’re going to have to work this one out. I hope that’s okay.

Beyond Just

“Beyond just” shows that there is something else to consider. “Beyond” is used here to show that you need to look past the first clause or point raised. The second point might be just as important (if not more so) than the first.

If you’re trying to be even more formal, you can also remove “just.” You don’t need to include it, but it does help to emphasize the phrase.

• Beyond just the simple matter that you did this to me, I don’t think I can overlook all of the other things you’ve done wrong here.
• Beyond just being rude, some other factors are at play. We cannot take you back here because you’ve burned too many bridges.
• Beyond just the things she said about me, I think it’s only fair that I look for alternative methods. I hope you can appreciate that.