nevertheless

nevertheless — adverb

1. used to join two statements when the second one seems surprising or opposite to

1.adverbB2
Definition

used to join two statements when the second one seems surprising or opposite to what the first one suggests — for example, when a fact or event happens despite an earlier reason to expect a different outcome

Example

The forecast promised heavy rain; nevertheless, Aiko went camping with her friends.

semicolon + nevertheless for surprising contrast

Ravi had never studied French before moving to Paris; nevertheless, he found work there within a week.

nevertheless after a concession clause with 'had never'

Synonyms
  • however

    less formal and more frequent in everyday speech; can appear at the start, middle, or end of a clause

  • nonetheless

    slightly more emphatic and common in academic writing; interchangeable with nevertheless in most contexts

  • still

    conversational register; often used in spoken English to show a contrast

  • yet

    more concise; can serve as both a conjunction and a linking adverb

Usage Note

Common in formal writing and speeches rather than casual conversation. It usually begins the second clause after a semicolon or period; however, it can also follow the subject of that clause for emphasis (e.g. 'He was exhausted; he nevertheless finished the marathon'). A comma splice before nevertheless — using only a comma between two independent clauses — is considered incorrect in standard English.

Common Mistakes

I was tired, nevertheless I kept running.
I was tired; nevertheless, I kept running.
A comma alone creates a comma splice; use a semicolon before nevertheless or start a new sentence.
Nevertheless it rained, we stayed inside.
It rained; nevertheless, we stayed inside.
Nevertheless does not function as a subordinating conjunction like 'although'; it connects two independent clauses.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

However, nevertheless, and nonetheless all introduce a contrast with the previous statement. Nevertheless is the most formal of the three and appears frequently in academic articles and legal documents. However is the most versatile — it works in both speech and writing and can move to different positions within a clause. Nonetheless carries a slightly stronger tone of concession: the speaker acknowledges the first point but insists on the second despite it. Still is the most conversational and often appears in informal speech ('I know it is risky; still, I want to try'). Yet is the shortest and can function both as a conjunction ('yet he came') and as an adverb ('the best is yet to come'). Compare: 'The evidence was thin; nevertheless, the jury convicted.' 'The evidence was thin; however, the jury convicted.' The first sounds more deliberate and formal; the second is more neutral and common.

however ↗nonetheless ↗still ↗yet ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • but nevertheless
  • nevertheless, however

Etymology

Middle EnglishEnglish

From Middle English never the lesse, a phrase meaning 'not at all the less'. The three separate words — never, the, less — were gradually written together as a single adverb during the 14th to 16th centuries, following the same fusion pattern that produced nonetheless. The spelling nevertheless became standard in early Modern English.