Word: nevertheless (adverb)

Associations

"Nevertheless" is used to show contrast or to introduce an idea that is surprising or unexpected compared to what was said before. It means "in spite of that" or "however."

• I was tired; nevertheless, I finished my homework. (Shows that even though the person was tired, they still did their homework.)
• The weather was bad; nevertheless, we went for a walk. (Despite bad weather, the walk happened.)
• She didn't like the movie; nevertheless, she stayed until the end. (Even though she didn't like it, she stayed.)

A well-known synonym is "however." The main difference is that "nevertheless" often appears in more formal writing and sometimes emphasizes the contrast more strongly than "however."

Substitution

You can replace "nevertheless" with:

• however (similar meaning, can start a sentence or appear in the middle)
• still (more informal, often used in speech)
• even so (emphasizes contrast, like "nevertheless")

Example:
I was tired; however, I finished my homework.
I was tired; still, I finished my homework.
I was tired; even so, I finished my homework.

Deconstruction

"Nevertheless" comes from three parts:

• "never" meaning "not ever"
• "the" (a definite article)
• "less" meaning "without" or "smaller amount"

Together, it originally meant "not less than that" or "in spite of that." Over time, it became a single adverb used to show contrast.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you did something even though you didn’t want to? How would you use "nevertheless" to describe it?
• How is "nevertheless" different from just saying "but"? When would you choose to use "nevertheless"?
• Can you try making a sentence using "nevertheless" about something surprising you did?