William ShakespeareEmma Hawkridge
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Beginning a Sentence With However
However is one in a long list of words that students have been admonished to avoid placing at the beginning of a sentence (others include and, but, for, so, yet, and many more). Can you use however to start a sentence? Yes. Some usage guides will recommend against placing it there when the intended meaning is “nonetheless” but will allow it for other senses of however, but a considerable number of prominent (and not so prominent) writers utilize just this sense of however in the initial position. You should make your own judgment about such use and let your ear guide you regarding its appropriateness.
Examples of however in a Sentence
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 22 June 2026
Transformers’ great shortcoming, however, is their staggering computational cost.
—Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
How other travelers can help When the airline systems fail, however, other travelers may still need to step in to help.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 22 June 2026
Still looming over talks, however, is the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon, which has continued despite a recent renewal of their ceasefire agreement.
—Deva Lee, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for however
Cite this Entry
“However.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/however. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
however
1 of 2 conjunction
however
2 of 2 adverb
