Etimology
From Middle English however, how-ever, how-evere; equivalent to how + ever. Compare howsoever.
adverb
however (not comparable)
(conjunctive) Nevertheless; yet, still; in spite of that.
(conjunctive) In contrast.
(degree) To whatever degree or extent.
(informal, manner) In any way that one likes or chooses; in a haphazard or spontaneous way.
(interrogative) How ever: an emphatic form of how, used to ask in what manner.
(obsolete) In any case, at any rate, at all events.
Examples
He told me not to do it. However, I did it anyway. / I did it anyway, however. / I, however, did it anyway.
She wanted to go; however, she decided against it.
I didn't argue with him; I still think, however, that he is wrong.
Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired.
Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.
The conference itself went very well. The party afterwards, however, was a disaster.
However clear you think you've been, many questions will remain.
Elinor, however little concerned in it, joined in their discourse; and Marianne, who had the knack of finding her way in every house to the library, however it might be avoided by the family in general, soon procured herself a book.
I don't care; just do it however.
Nothing was really planned; things just happened however.
I thought it was impossible. However were you able to do it?
Our chief end and highest interest is happiness : And this is happiness to be freed from all [or] however from the greatest evils.
Related words
synonyms
(nevertheless): nonetheless, notwithstanding, that said, still and all; in any case, after all, anyway; see also Thesaurus:nevertheless and Thesaurus:regardless
(to whatever degree): ad lib, howsoever, howso
(regardless of the way in which): anyhow, howsoever, howso
(emphatic how): how + the dickens (see Thesaurus:the dickens)
conjunction
however
Regardless of the way in which.
In any way in which.
(proscribed) But, yet, though, although.
Examples
Let me know when you've had your interview, however it goes.
However we do this, it isn't going to work.
But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention. Partly, this is a result of how online advertising has traditionally worked: advertisers pay for clicks, and a click is a click, however it's obtained.
She offered to help however she could.
Wear your hair however you want.
*She wanted to go, however she decided against it.