somehow

somehow — adverb

1. used to say that you manage to do or achieve something without being able to exp

1.adverbB1
Definition

used to say that you manage to do or achieve something without being able to explain the exact method or steps that led to it — for example, finding a place without directions, or finishing a difficult task with limited time or resources.

Example

Theo somehow managed to finish the marathon despite twisting his ankle at the halfway point.

somehow managed to + [achievement despite difficulty]

The old wooden bridge had somehow survived fifty years of storms and floods.

somehow + survived / endured [hardship]

Common collocations
  • somehow manage
  • somehow find
  • somehow survive
  • somehow get through
Synonyms
  • one way or another

    more informal; emphasises determination rather than mystery about the method

  • by some means

    more formal; focuses on the existence of a method without naming it

  • in some way

    broader; can refer to any unspecified manner

Grammar Patterns

somehow + manage/ find/ survive/ get through

auxiliary + somehow + main verb

Usage Note

In this sense, somehow usually appears immediately before the main verb (somehow managed, somehow found) or after an auxiliary verb (had somehow survived). It often conveys mild surprise that a goal was reached despite obstacles.

Common Mistakes

I somehow need to finish this report by noon.' (ambiguous — could mean 'by some method' or 'for some reason').
I need to finish this report by noon somehow.
Placing somehow at the end of the clause makes the 'by some method' meaning clearer.
He somehow didn't find the keys.' (ungrammatical word order).
He somehow failed to find the keys.
In negative contexts, use a positive verb with a negative meaning instead of placing somehow before didn't.

2. used when there is no obvious or logical explanation for an event, feeling, or a

2.adverbB1
Definition

used when there is no obvious or logical explanation for an event, feeling, or action — for example, feeling sad on a beautiful sunny day, or trusting someone you have just met for no clear reason.

Example

Salma felt somehow uneasy as she walked into the empty classroom that morning.

somehow + adjective (uneasy / strange / different)

Min somehow knew that the package would arrive before the weekend.

somehow + knew / felt / sensed [intuition]

Common collocations
  • somehow know
  • somehow feel
  • somehow sense
  • somehow different
  • somehow familiar
  • somehow uneasy
Synonyms
  • for some reason

    more explicit; often interchangeable but slightly more formal

  • inexplicably

    more formal and stronger; suggests the speaker has given up trying to explain

  • strangely

    focuses on the surprising nature of the event rather than the lack of explanation

Grammar Patterns

somehow + adjective (uneasy / different / familiar)

somehow + verb of knowing or feeling (knew / felt / sensed)

Somehow, + [full clause]

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: in sense 2, somehow modifies an adjective (somehow different), a verb of intuition (somehow knew), or the whole sentence (Somehow, I don't trust him). It cannot be replaced with 'by some means.'

Common Mistakes

I somehow forgot my keys.' (ambiguous between senses).
I somehow managed to forget my keys.
Adding 'managed to' forces the 'by some means' reading of sense 1. Without it, the sentence could mean either sense.

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

Somehow (sense 2), for some reason, and inexplicably all express that the cause of something is unknown. Somehow is the most neutral and versatile of the three; it works in both informal and formal contexts and can modify a whole sentence (Somehow, I knew) or just an adjective (somehow familiar). For some reason is slightly more explicit — it directly states that a reason exists but is unknown to the speaker. It is common in everyday speech: 'For some reason, the train was late again.' Inexplicably is more formal and carries a stronger sense that the event defies any possible explanation. It is often used in journalism or academic writing: 'The building had inexplicably remained empty for years.' When speaking casually, choose somehow or for some reason. When writing formally and wanting to stress the mystery, choose inexplicably.

somehow ↗for some reasoninexplicably

Common collocations

Phrases

  • somehow or other
  • somehow or another

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Somehow is a compound formed in Middle English from 'some' (a certain, an unspecified) and 'how' (in what way, by what means). The word first appeared in the 1300s and has kept the same core meaning for over 600 years — referring to a way or reason that the speaker cannot name. Over time, it developed a second sense focused on unexplained reasons, not just unknown methods.