Word: nonetheless (adverb)

Associations

"Nonetheless" means "in spite of that" or "however." It is used to show contrast between two ideas, similar to "however" or "nevertheless."

• Example 1: "It was raining; nonetheless, we went for a walk." Here, "nonetheless" shows that even though it was raining, the walk still happened.
• Example 2: "She was tired; nonetheless, she finished her homework." This shows contrast between being tired and still completing homework.
• Example 3: "The task was difficult; nonetheless, he succeeded." It highlights that despite difficulty, success was achieved.

Synonym difference: "Nonetheless" and "nevertheless" are very close in meaning and often interchangeable. "Nonetheless" is slightly more formal and often used at the start or middle of a sentence.

Substitution

You can replace "nonetheless" with:

• "however" (adds contrast, sometimes more informal)
• "nevertheless" (very similar meaning, slightly formal)
• "still" (more casual, often used in speech)
• "even so" (emphasizes contrast)

Example: "It was raining; however, we went for a walk."

Deconstruction

"Nonetheless" breaks down into three parts:

• "none" = not any
• "the" = definite article, here part of the phrase
• "less" = smaller amount or degree

Together, it means "not any less" or "despite that." It comes from older English where combining these parts gave the meaning "in spite of that."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where something difficult happened, but you still did it? How would you use "nonetheless" to describe it?
• How is "nonetheless" different from simply saying "but"?
• Can you write a sentence using "nonetheless" to show contrast between two ideas?