Can you start a sentence with however?

Yes, you can start a sentence with however. In this context, “however” is a conjunctive adverb and introduces an idea that contrasts with the preceding sentence. When used at the beginning of a sentence, “however” should be followed by a comma.

For example:

  • It’s winter. However, today it’s not cold.
  • I don’t like cheese. However, I like pizza.
  • The forecast predicted sunny weather. However, it rained all day.

If you use a synonym for however, keep in mind that it may not follow the same placement rules.

When in doubt, a QuillBot Grammar Check can make sure you use “however” and other words like it correctly.