What is “Nevertheless”?
The term “nevertheless” originates from a combination of three words: “never”, “the”, and “less”. “Nevertheless” is an adverb widely used in English to express a concept of contradiction or contrast with what has been previously mentioned or understood from the conversation or text.
It functions similarly to “however”, “yet”, and “but”, yet it often carries a more formal tone or connotes a more significant contrast between the ideas being presented. Writers and speakers use “nevertheless” to structure their discourse, allowing them to present nuanced perspectives where multiple, potentially conflicting, factors are considered. This word helps to balance or mitigate the impact of a concession, emphasizing that the subsequent information or argument retains its importance or validity regardless of the concessions made.
What’s the Difference Between “Nonetheless” and “Nevertheless”?
“Nonetheless” and “Nevertheless” are both adverbs used to introduce a contrast or contradiction to what has just been mentioned, but they are used interchangeably in many contexts.
“Nonetheless” is an adverb that means “in spite of that” or “however”. “Nevertheless” is an adverb that means “introduce a statement that contrasts with what has been mentioned previously”.