however thought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "however thought" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It seems to be an attempt to express a contrasting idea, but it lacks proper structure and context. Example: "I had planned to go for a run; however, thought of the rain made me reconsider."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The paper is however thought provoking and amusing and I thank the authors for think outrageous thoughts.

Biology Direct

The military, however, thought otherwise.

The New York Times

Some, however, thought it was rape.

Independent

Chief Sensible Friend, however, thought Edward might turn up again.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

riggas, however, thought they should all grow up.

The Guardian

The other record companies, however, thought little of the proposal.

The New York Times - Magazine

Others, however, thought that would be too aggressive.

The New York Times

Others, however, thought violence was bad for business.

The Economist

Lezama, however, thought of himself primarily as a poet.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Kingsley Amis, however, thought it 'a crass, purblind, infantile, featureless heap of gangrened elephant sputum'.

The Guardian

Simon, however, thought it was terrible, and that the guitar was something out of a fairground.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express a contrasting viewpoint, ensure that "however" is followed by a complete clause, rather than directly preceding the verb "thought". For example, use "however, they thought" or "however, it was thought".

Common error

Avoid using "however" directly before the verb "thought" to link contrasting ideas. This creates an awkward sentence structure. Instead, use a comma after "however" and ensure it introduces an independent clause.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "however thought" functions as a conjunction intended to introduce a contrasting thought or opinion. Ludwig indicates that this phrase is not correct and should be used with care.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

37%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "however thought" appears frequently across various sources, Ludwig identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The phrase attempts to introduce a contrasting idea, but lacks the necessary structure for proper usage. Instead, consider using alternatives like "however, they thought" or restructuring the sentence. Despite its common occurrence in news, science, and encyclopedic contexts, it's important to prioritize grammatical accuracy. Remember to follow "however" with a comma and an independent clause for correct usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yet considered

Replaces "however" with "yet", offering a similar contrasting conjunction, while maintaining the verb "considered".

nevertheless believed

Substitutes "however" with "nevertheless" and "thought" with "believed", emphasizing a strong contrast in opinion.

nonetheless assumed

Uses "nonetheless" instead of "however" and "assumed" for "thought", suggesting a slightly weaker level of certainty.

conversely supposed

Replaces "however" with "conversely" and "thought" with "supposed", highlighting an opposite viewpoint.

on the other hand, surmised

Introduces "on the other hand" to replace "however" and uses "surmised" for "thought", indicating a conclusion based on limited evidence.

in contrast, imagined

Uses "in contrast" instead of "however" and "imagined" for "thought", implying a more speculative or creative viewpoint.

despite this, presumed

Replaces "however" with "despite this" and uses "presumed" for "thought", suggesting an assumption made despite conflicting information.

still, deemed

Substitutes "however" with "still" and "thought" with "deemed", conveying a sense of continuing despite a contrasting fact.

even so, speculated

Uses "even so" instead of "however" and "speculated" for "thought", indicating a more theoretical or uncertain consideration.

yet, it was their opinion

Replaces "however" with "yet" and rephrases "thought" to "it was their opinion", offering a more formal and explicit statement of opinion.

FAQs

How to use "however" correctly to introduce a contrasting thought?

When using "however" to introduce a contrasting idea, make sure to follow it with a comma and a complete independent clause. For instance, instead of "however thought", it should be "however, they thought" or "however, it was thought".

What are some alternatives to "however" when expressing a contrasting idea?

Alternatives to "however" include "nevertheless", "nonetheless", "conversely", or "on the other hand depending on the context".

Is it grammatically correct to say "however thought"?

No, "however thought" is not grammatically correct. The word "however" needs to be followed by a comma and an independent clause to properly connect contrasting ideas. A correct usage would be "however, I thought".

What's the difference between "however, I thought" and "although I thought"?

"However, I thought" introduces a contrast to a previous statement, emphasizing the differing viewpoint. "Although I thought" introduces a subordinate clause indicating a condition or concession. The former is used to directly contrast, while the latter sets up a condition.