"But" vs "however"

Question

"But" vs "however"

Both 'however' and 'but' are conjunctions used to connect two ideas in a sentence. 'However' is more formal and is often used to introduce a contrasting idea, while 'but' is more common in everyday language. The choice between them depends on the formality of the context.

Last Updated: March 31, 2024

Use 'but' to connect two ideas that contrast with each other. It is more commonly used in everyday language and is less formal than 'however'.

Examples:

She wanted to go out, but it was raining heavily.
I wanted to buy the dress, but it was too expensive.

Alternatives:

yet
however
nevertheless
on the other hand
in contrast

Use 'however' to introduce a contrasting idea or transition between two sentences. It is more formal and is commonly used in written English.

Examples:

She wanted to go out; however, it was raining heavily.
I wanted to buy the dress; however, it was too expensive.

Alternatives:

nevertheless
nonetheless
on the other hand
in contrast
despite that

Answer 1

But

The word 'but' is a conjunction used to connect two ideas that contrast with each other. It is more commonly used in everyday language and is less formal than 'however'.

Answer 2

however

The word 'however' is a conjunction used to introduce a contrasting idea or transition between two sentences. It is more formal and is commonly used in written English.

"But" vs "however"

But

however

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