10 Other Words for “However” in an Essay

When it comes to writing essays, you should always know appropriate words and phrases to help you spice things up.

You might have just used “however” to start a sentence. Although, is it the best choice to use in an essay?

This article has gathered the best synonyms to show you other ways to say “however” in an essay.

• Though
• Yet
• Although
• Nevertheless
• Nonetheless
• At the same time
• With that said
• Still
• Be that as it may
• But

Keep reading to learn more words to replace “however” in an essay.

1. Though

One of the more common synonyms for “however” in academic writing is “though.”

It works well at the start of a sentence to show that you’re contradicting the previous point.

Generally, it’s better to use something like “though” at the start of a sentence rather than to start a paragraph. It almost always has to relate to the previous sentence; otherwise, it won’t make much sense.

You can also refer to the following examples:

• I can keep checking the data as and when it’s necessary. Though, there’s no guarantee that anything will change.
• We will continue to work together on the project. Though, it seems unlikely that we’ll find common ground again.

2. Yet

We recommend using “yet” as a formal synonym for “however.” It’s almost identical in how it works, but it’s much less common, making it more interesting for the reader.

Also, unlike “however,” you can include “yet” in the middle of a sentence or at the start of one.

It’s generally more common to see “yet” in the middle of the sentence. It works similarly to “but,” showing that you want to contradict information within the same sentence (as a separate clause).

Check out these examples if you’re still unsure:

• This isn’t the only option, yet people seem to insist on us doing it like this. I do not know what else to say.
• I haven’t decided on the best course of action. Yet, I am still going ahead with the project as written to try and figure it out.

3. Although

We’ve already touched on “though.” There’s a very similar alternative that helps to make things more readable with “although” as well.

Generally, “although” works quite well in academic writing. It’s good at the start of a sentence.

“Although” is effective because it shows you have considered another option and want to discuss more about it. It allows you to directly contradict your previous statement with no issue.

Perhaps the following examples will also help you;

• We do not have all the answers to address this. Although, it would help if you listed the variables in one place.
• I can assure you that the experiment was unbiased. Although, I do fear that some people will ignore the results.

4. Nevertheless

If you’re looking for a more formal synonym, try “nevertheless.” It’s great to use instead of “however” (once or twice in an essay) to introduce an unrelated or contradictory thought.

We recommend starting a sentence with “nevertheless” when possible. Of course, this only applies when the sentence relates to one you wrote previously.

You should also review these examples:

• This isn’t the only way to go through with the project. Nevertheless, it seems to be the most cost-effective choice.
• I will not condone this behavior. Nevertheless, I can understand why some people choose to act out in this way.

5. Nonetheless

There are technically two ways to write “nevertheless” from the previous section. The other way is “nonetheless,” and it is also a suitable formal synonym for “however.”

Feel free to switch between “nonetheless,” “nevertheless,” and “however” whenever possible. That way, you have three alternatives that all do the same thing.

Using alternatives in your academic writing allows your reader to stay engaged. It ensures you don’t use the same word more than once, which keeps things as interesting as possible.

Here are some essay samples to help you understand it:

• We worked on it for a few months. Nonetheless, the results were not in our favor. It was quite thought-provoking.
• The experiment was incorrect from the beginning. Nonetheless, I made the most of the work I’d already put in.

6. At the Same Time

You can try “at the same time” instead of “however” to mix things up.

Unlike other synonyms so far, “at the same time” is a phrase that works at the start of a new thought.

Generally, “at the same time” starts a sentence. It’s an introductory clause that shows how something is happening alongside another thing (even if the two contradict each other).

Perhaps these examples will also help you with it:

• There wasn’t much left for us to discuss. At the same time, things seemed to continue going in a positive direction.
• I tried everything I could to correct the issues. At the same time, the team seemed to work against me.

7. With That Said

For a formal way to say “however,” you can try “with that said.” It shows that you’re offering a counterpoint immediately after introducing a new idea in your essay.

We recommend including it to highlight different opinions. It ensures the reader is kept entertained by your writing and allowed to develop their thoughts.

Generally, “with that said” offers an idea or opinion that completely negates the previous sentence. It works best as an introductory clause to explore new alternatives.

You can also review these essay examples:

• We could not complete the task in question. With that said, we did everything we could to advance the project.
• There were many errors in the publication. With that said, it still went ahead, even though people knew it was wrong.

8. Still

We recommend “still” as a word you can use instead of “however” in an essay. It’s effective at the start or in the middle of a sentence.

“Still” is highly effective in introducing contradictions. It shows you have thought about something in great detail, but you still think discussing other ideas is appropriate.

Again, most of the choices here that replace “however” allow the reader to make up their own minds. This is the mark of a well-written and well-argued essay.

Here are a few examples to help you with it:

• I thought about changing the variables initially. Still, it made sense to continue working on the drafts.
• We could not have made it clearer, and still, they did not want to follow through with our original plans.

9. Be That as It May

While it might not be the most common choice in academic writing, you can also include “be that as it may.”

It works well as an introductory clause after highlighting an important point.

Generally, “be that as it may” allows you to change the reader’s mind. This is done by introducing an argument or conflicting viewpoint.

Of course, there’s no guarantee the reader will agree with the view. Nevertheless, it’s worth including to see what they make of it.

Also, these examples should help you:

• This was the best choice to make at the time. Be that as it may, many people still got upset about it.
• We have decided to go through different methods. Be that as it may, there still isn’t one good choice.

10. But

Generally, “but” is considered to be a much simpler variation of “however.” You can include it in your academic writing to counter a point.

It means that you want to introduce a conflicting idea to the previous sentence.

Unlike “however,” “but” is more likely to come in the middle of the sentence. It isn’t as common as an adverb at the start of the sentence.

Here are some examples showing you how it works:

• I do not have the means to complete the task, but I will do what I can to continue working on it.
• This will be difficult to manage, but many avenues exist. I will let you know when I have more information.