anyway

adverb

any·​way ˈe-nē-ˌwā How to pronounce anyway (audio)
1
: in any way whatever : anywise
2
: in any case : without regard to other considerations : anyhow
She knew it was dangerous, but she did it anyway.
3
: as an additional consideration or thought
We don't need a new car, and anyway, we can't afford one.

Examples of anyway in a Sentence

The road got worse, but they kept going anyway. I didn't expect her to say “yes,” but I asked her anyway. It makes no difference what we say. She's going to do what she wants anyway. He's far from perfect, but she loves him anyway.
Recent Examples on the Web In literature, anyway, the lyrical suggests a wave of praise and celebration, whereas the satirical indicates particles of jeering condemnation. Benjamin Kunkel, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 But Kimmel shamed him into doing it anyway, and the exceedingly buff and hairless Cena crab-walked sideways across the stage, his privates seemingly covered only by a large envelope. USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 Others were dismayed at Pacino’s apparent failure to inject a bit of verve and suspense into the proceedings (as if everyone in the world didn’t know Oppenheimer was about to win, anyway). Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 Of the guns removed last year, 901 — or 62% — had been listed as being lawfully acquired through purchase records, while 542 were not associated with purchase records but were removed anyway. John Woolfolk, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 But gossip carried on anyway across social media, with some speculation taking absurd spins (like the one about her getting lost at the Willy Wonka fair in Glasgow). Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 11 Mar. 2024 Myles had not been a teenager for years, but he was stopped anyway. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 Opponents said Hudbay is likely to ship the copper out of the country anyway, because of limited capacity at U.S. smelters. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Why all the foot-dragging, many observers wondered, when Hungary was going to approve the Nordic country’s membership of the military alliance anyway? Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anyway.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anyway was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near anyway

Cite this Entry

“Anyway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anyway. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

anyway

adverb
any·​way ˈen-ē-ˌwā How to pronounce anyway (audio)
: anyhow

More from Merriam-Webster on anyway

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