Nonetheless vs Nevertheless | Difference & Meaning

Nonetheless and nevertheless are very close synonyms meaning “despite that,” “however,” or “all the same” and can be used interchangeably (e.g., “It is unfortunate, but nonetheless/nevertheless true”).

• We use the conjunctive adverbs nonetheless and nevertheless to highlight a contrast between the point we are making and what we have just written or said.
• Nonetheless and nevertheless are mainly used in formal contexts such as essays.
• In modern English, nevertheless is used more frequently than nonetheless.
• We often use nonetheless and nevertheless in sentences and independent clauses beginning with the coordinating conjunction “but.”

None the less

None the less is a rarely used alternative spelling of the adverb “nonetheless,” which is a very close synonym of “nevertheless.”

Most modern dictionaries do not list none the less as an alternative spelling as it is so rarely used nowadays. It is therefore best to spell the adverb “nonetheless” as one word in your formal writing, such as academic writing.

None the less (three separate words) is a possible, but rarely used, alternative to “no less” in the construction “no less [adjective] for” (e.g., “These methods are simple but none the less effective for that”).

Nonetheless meaning

The conjunctive adverb nonetheless means “in spite of that,” “however,” “still,” or “even so.” It is used in formal contexts to highlight how the facts, actions, decisions, or outcomes we are describing either contrast with or are unexpected given what has just been said or written (e.g., “It was the cheapest but nonetheless most effective option”).

Nonetheless is frequently used in sentences and clauses that start with “but” (e.g., “But he persisted nonetheless,” “But he nonetheless persisted”). When you use it like this in the middle or at the end of a sentence or clause, you don’t have to put commas around or before it—only do this if you want to particularly emphasize the element of contrast or surprise for stylistic effect, or if it is necessary to make the sentence easier to read. However, you should put a comma after nonetheless if you use it at the beginning of a sentence or independent clause.

Nevertheless meaning

Nevertheless means “despite that,” “even so,” “still,” or “however.” It can be used interchangeably with “nonetheless” and is the more commonly used of these two conjunctive adverbs in modern English. We use “nevertheless” in formal contexts (often in sentences or clauses starting with “but”) to highlight how a point we are making contrasts with what has already been said or written.

If you use nevertheless at the beginning of a sentence or independent clause, you need to put a comma after it. You don’t otherwise need to put commas around or before it—unless you want to particularly emphasize the aspect of contrast for stylistic effect, or if it is required to make the sentence easier to read.

Frequently asked questions about nonetheless vs nevertheless

How do you use nevertheless in a sentence?

You use nevertheless in a sentence to mean “all the same” or “despite that” when you want to highlight how what you are saying either contrasts with or is unexpected given what has just been said.

When used at the beginning of a sentence it needs a comma after it, but a comma isn’t usually necessary when it appears at the end or in the middle of a sentence (e.g., in clauses beginning with “but”). We typically use “nevertheless” in formal contexts.

The movie received extremely bad reviews in newspapers and magazines. Nevertheless, it has performed well at the box office.

The movie received extremely bad reviews, but it has nevertheless performed well at the box office.

The movie received extremely bad reviews, but it has performed well at the box office nevertheless.

If you’re finding it tricky to decide between using nonetheless or nevertheless, you can use them interchangeably as they are such close synonyms.

Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? You can use it to help you use “nevertheless” correctly in your specific text.

How do you use nonetheless in a sentence?

You use nonetheless in a sentence to mean “despite that” or “all the same” to highlight how what you are describing either contrasts with or is unexpected given what has just been said or written.

If you use it at the start of the sentence it needs a comma after it. It is often used in the middle or at the end of sentences or clauses beginning with “but,” where a comma isn’t usually required. “Nonetheless” is typically used in formal contexts.

The sales of the product have been disappointing. Nonetheless, the company remains confident in the product’s long-term potential.

Sales have been disappointing, but the company nonetheless remains confident in the product’s long-term potential.

Sales have been disappointing, but the company remains confident in the product’s long-term potential nonetheless.

If you can’t decide whether you should be using nonetheless or nevertheless, they are such close synonyms that you can use them interchangeably.

Why not use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use “nonetheless” correctly in your specific text?