anyhow

anyhow — adverb

1. a word you say to bring back an earlier topic, finish a chat, add a small extra

1.adverbB2
Definition

a word you say to bring back an earlier topic, finish a chat, add a small extra point, or stress that something stays true even after what was just said.

Example

Anyhow, as I was saying before Mei interrupted, the meeting starts at nine.

sentence-initial: returning to a previous topic

It was raining hard, but Diego went for a long walk anyhow.

sentence-final: meaning 'despite that'

Common collocations
  • anyhow, as I was saying
  • but anyhow
  • well, anyhow
  • anyhow, I should go
Synonyms
  • anyway

    more common in everyday speech; almost always interchangeable

  • in any case

    slightly more formal; common in writing

  • at any rate

    emphasises that the point still stands; written or careful speech

Usage Note

Functions as a discourse marker, usually at the start or end of a sentence. Distinguish from sense 2 (carelessly): this sense is grammatical glue between ideas, not a description of how an action is done.

Common Mistakes

Please put the books anyhow on the shelf' (meaning 'in any order').
Please put the books on the shelf any way you like.
sense 1 'anyhow' cannot mean 'in any manner'; that meaning is sense 2 and is rarely used after a verb of placement.
Anyhow you, the train left without us.
Anyhow, the train left without us.
'anyhow' is followed by a comma and a full clause, not by a pronoun.

2. if you do something this way, you do it without paying attention or planning, le

2.adverbB2
Definition

if you do something this way, you do it without paying attention or planning, leaving the result messy or in no clear order.

Example

Ravi threw his clothes into the suitcase anyhow and ran for the airport.

verb + anyhow: in a careless manner

The children had stacked the toys anyhow in the corner of the playroom.

describes messy, unplanned arrangement

Common collocations
  • thrown anyhow
  • piled anyhow
  • stacked anyhow
  • scattered anyhow
Synonyms
  • carelessly

    neutral and very common; describes lack of attention

  • haphazardly

    stresses lack of plan or pattern; slightly formal

  • any old how

    British informal; same idea, more colourful

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + anyhow

Usage Note

Always follows the verb (or its object), never starts the sentence. Distinguish from sense 1, which sits at sentence boundaries with a comma. More common in British English than American English.

Common Mistakes

Anyhow, she stacked the books on the shelf.' (meaning 'carelessly').
She stacked the books on the shelf anyhow.
placing 'anyhow' at the start switches to the discourse-marker meaning of sense 1.
He answered the question anyhow correctly.
He answered the question carelessly but correctly.
'anyhow' modifies the manner of doing, not the truth of an outcome.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four words help a speaker move past a side point and return to what really matters, but they sit at different points on the formality scale. 'Anyway' is the everyday workhorse, fine in chat, email, or a casual report. 'Anyhow' is slightly more old-fashioned and feels warmer or more conversational, common in British speech and friendly writing. 'In any case' lifts the tone toward formal writing and business reports, where it signals a careful summing-up. 'At any rate' stresses that whatever came before, the next point still holds — a bit dramatic, often used in argument. Compare: 'Anyway, let's eat.' (relaxed); 'Anyhow, where were we?' (chatty); 'In any case, the deadline is Friday.' (formal); 'At any rate, the plan failed.' (emphatic).

anyhow ↗anywayin any case ↗at any rate ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • but anyhow
  • well, anyhow
  • anyhow, as I was saying

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed in the late 1700s by joining 'any' with 'how', following the same pattern as 'anyway' and 'anywhere'. The earliest meaning was 'in any manner', but by the 1800s the word had grown into a discourse marker — a small linking word speakers use to steer a conversation. The 'carelessly' meaning developed from the older 'in any manner' sense, narrowing to suggest 'in just any old manner, without thought'.