both however

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "both however" is not correct and is not typically used in written English.
It is generally used to introduce a contrast or exception, but "both" and "however" do not function together in this way. Example: "Both options are appealing; however, they come with different challenges."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Both, however, are survivable.

The New York Times - Books

Both, however, soon died.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Both, however, were giving up good apartments.

The New York Times

Both, however, fell short of the mark.

The New York Times - Arts

History remembers both, however, as exceptional artists.

The New York Times - Arts

Both, however, ran into financial trouble.

The New York Times

Both, however, are uncapped at Test level.

The Guardian - Sport

Both, however, are very strong, he said.

The New York Times - Sports

Both, however, received five-star ratings for driver's side safety.

The New York Times

Both, however, have a tendency to slow their teams down.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Both, however, found themselves spending more time wondering about the farm than concentrating on their jobs.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "both however" as it's grammatically incorrect. Instead, use alternatives like "both, however,", "both nevertheless", or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

Common error

Ensure "however" is correctly placed after a comma (e.g., "Both, however,...") or replaced with a more suitable conjunction like "nevertheless" or "nonetheless". Avoid directly juxtaposing "both" and "however" without punctuation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "both however" functions as an incorrect conjunction attempting to introduce a contrast related to two previously mentioned items. While Ludwig AI shows examples of its use, it's considered grammatically flawed, leading to potential misinterpretations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "both however" appears frequently in various sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The intended function is to introduce a contrast related to two subjects, yet this is achieved improperly. To ensure grammatical accuracy, it's best to use "both, however," with a comma, or opt for alternatives like "both nevertheless" or restructuring the sentence. Despite its frequent use, aiming for grammatical correctness will enhance clarity and credibility in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

both nevertheless

Replaces "however" with "nevertheless", providing a more formal contrasting conjunction.

both nonetheless

Substitutes "however" with "nonetheless", offering a similar sense of contrast and concession.

both yet

Uses "yet" instead of "however", creating a more concise contrasting statement.

both still

Replaces "however" with "still", indicating a continuation despite a contrast.

both but

Employs "but" as a simpler alternative to "however" for a contrasting idea.

both though

Utilizes "though" in place of "however", providing a more informal contrasting conjunction.

however, both

Inverts the phrase to place "however" at the beginning for emphasis, followed by "both".

both, on the other hand

Offers a more explicit contrast using "on the other hand" instead of "however".

both in spite of that

Replaces "however" with "in spite of that", highlighting a contrasting situation or result.

despite both

Restructures the sentence to start with "despite", indicating a contrast or exception.

FAQs

Is "both however" grammatically correct?

No, "both however" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. A correct alternative would be "Both, however,", with a comma after "both", or using another conjunction such as "both nevertheless".

What can I use instead of "both however"?

You can use alternatives like "Both, however,", "both nevertheless", "both nonetheless", or rephrase the sentence to use "however" in a separate clause.

How to correctly use "however" with "both" in a sentence?

The correct usage involves placing a comma after "both", followed by "however" and another comma: "Both, however,...". Alternatively, you can restructure the sentence to use "however" in a different clause.

What is the difference between "both however" and "both, however"?

"Both however" is grammatically incorrect. "Both, however," with a comma after "both", is a correct way to introduce a contrasting element following a mention of two things.