What Does "anyhow" Mean?
- Grammatical function: "Anyhow" primarily functions as a concessive connector or a discourse marker. It signals that the preceding information is being set aside in favor of a more important point, or that a situation remains true regardless of other factors. It can also function as an adverb of manner meaning "in a careless way."
- Typical sentence position: It is highly flexible and can appear in the initial, medial, or final position of a sentence.
- Register: It is generally neutral to informal, though it frequently appears in high-quality journalism and literature to provide a conversational yet sophisticated tone.
How to Use It
- Syntactic patterns: When used as a transition, it often precedes a main clause. When used to reinforce a point regardless of other facts, it frequently follows the verb or appears at the end of the clause.
- Punctuation rules: When starting a sentence, it is typically followed by a comma. In the medial position, it may be set off by commas for emphasis. At the end of a sentence, it follows the standard flow of the clause without a preceding comma unless a pause is intended.
- Grammatical flexibility: It is highly mobile. It can start a sentence to change the subject, or be placed at the end to add an afterthought or a sense of inevitability.
- What sounds unnatural: Using "anyhow" in extremely formal legal or scientific papers may sound too colloquial. Additionally, using it to mean "in any way" in a negative polarity context (e.g., "I don't like it anyhow") is less common than using "at all."
Real-World Examples
These examples are sourced from anyhow on Ludwig.guru.
"The police refused and went to take the photo anyhow." — theguardian.com
"Economic growth this year is unlikely to reach 2% and anyhow will be far below the 5% average predicted at the beginning of the second five-year development plan, which ends in March." — economist.com
"It was an anyhow streetscape, built for hard work and proletarian scraping, utterly different from the glittering, gridded uptown." — theguardian.com
"Moreover, new settlements in occupied territories are being built in areas that would anyhow be part of Israel in any future peace deal." — economist.com
"But allow people some common sense: in a practising democracy, they are unlikely to vote, or anyhow vote twice, for oppression." — economist.com
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/anyhow
Similar Phrases and Alternatives
| Phrase |
Context |
| anyway |
The most common synonym; slightly more informal and used frequently in speech. |
| regardless |
More formal; emphasizes that the preceding facts do not change the outcome. |
| nevertheless |
Formal; used to introduce a contrast or concession in academic writing. |
| in any case |
Neutral; works well in both spoken and written English to summarize a point. |
| at any rate |
Neutral; often used to narrow down a discussion to the most important fact. |
Common Mistakes
- Confusion with Manner: Learners sometimes forget that anyhow can describe a lack of order (meaning "haphazardly"). In the example "books were piled anyhow," it is an adverb of manner, not a connective.
- Non-standard forms: Avoid using the term "anyhows." This is a non-standard, dialectal variation that is considered grammatically incorrect in professional and academic writing.
- Punctuation errors: Failing to use a comma when anyhow is used as a sentence-initial discourse marker can make the transition feel abrupt and unclear to the reader.
Quick-Reference Summary
| Expression |
Function |
Register |
Typical Position |
| anyhow |
Concession / Transition |
Neutral to Informal |
Initial, Medial, or Final |
FAQs
Where in a sentence can anyhow appear?
The word anyhow is syntactically flexible and can appear in the sentence-initial, mid-clause, or final position. When used at the start, it often acts as a discourse marker to change the topic, while at the end, it usually functions as a concessive adverb.
What is the difference between anyhow and anyway?
While both are used as connective adverbs, anyway is much more common in everyday conversation. Anyhow can occasionally carry a specific meaning of "in a haphazard manner," which anyway does not share.
Is it correct to use anyhows in a sentence?
No, you should strictly avoid using anyhows as it is a non-standard form. Learners often confuse the connective use with this incorrect pluralization or with its use as an adverb of manner, but only anyhow is acceptable in formal writing.