however usually

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "however usually" is not correct and does not work well in written English.
It is a combination of two contrasting terms that do not logically fit together in standard usage. Example: "The project is usually completed on time; however, this time it faced several delays."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Shoe fetishists, however, usually have done so".

The New York Times - Magazine

They are, however, usually kept confidential.

Independent

Groups, however, usually have no problem.

The Guardian - Travel

Beeman's judiciousness, however, usually serves him well.

The New York Times - Books

The strips, however, usually cost 60 to 80 cents each.

The New York Times - Health

Elections, however, usually end up widening the gap.

The Economist

Just where the water is getting in, however, usually isn't easy to figure out.

The New York Times

Data on school demography, however, usually disclose only pupils eligible for subsidized lunches.

The New York Times

Achieving this goal, however, usually means excising every stray ounce of fat.

The New York Times - Health

The states kept the positions, however, usually administering them through the state universities.

The New York Times

He mentions condoms fairly frequently, however, usually referring to them as "machines" or as "armour".

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "however usually" in formal writing. Instead, choose a single adverb like "typically" or rephrase for clarity and correctness.

Common error

The mistake is combining "however" (a contrasting conjunction) with "usually" (an adverb of frequency). To fix this, separate the ideas into two sentences or use a single, appropriate adverb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "however usually" functions as an attempt to introduce a contrast while also indicating a common occurrence. Ludwig AI indicates that this combination is not grammatically sound, though examples exist, primarily in less formal contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "however usually" appears frequently in various sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Its intended purpose is to express a contrast to a common occurrence. For formal writing, consider alternatives like "but typically" or rephrasing the sentence for better clarity. Although common, its informal register and grammatical issues suggest avoiding it in professional or academic contexts. The prevalence of examples across news, science, and wiki sources indicates its widespread, though often incorrect, usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

but typically

Replaces "however" with "but" to indicate contrast and "usually" with "typically" to denote commonality.

yet generally

Uses "yet" as a contrasting conjunction and "generally" to express common occurrence.

though commonly

"Though" introduces a contrast, while "commonly" indicates something happens frequently.

nevertheless typically

"Nevertheless" provides a stronger contrast, and "typically" describes a usual occurrence.

still frequently

"Still" shows contrast, and "frequently" indicates a high occurrence rate.

however, in general

This phrase retains "however" for contrast but uses "in general" to convey commonality more formally.

in most cases though

Expresses commonality with "in most cases" and contrast with "though".

yet, as a rule

Uses "yet" to show contrast and "as a rule" to indicate a standard or common occurrence.

but under normal circumstances

Highlights a contrast with "but" and specifies common situations with "under normal circumstances".

even so, typically

"Even so" provides a contrasting element, and "typically" describes something that happens under normal conditions.

FAQs

Is "however usually" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "however usually" "is not considered grammatically correct" in standard English. It combines a contrasting conjunction with an adverb of frequency in a way that doesn't follow typical grammatical patterns.

What can I use instead of "however usually"?

Instead of "however usually", you can use alternatives like "but typically", "yet generally", or rephrase the sentence for better clarity.

How can I rephrase a sentence using "however usually" to be more grammatically sound?

You can rephrase the sentence by separating the contrasting idea from the statement of frequency. For example, instead of "However usually it rains", try "It usually rains; however, today is sunny".

What is the difference between "however" and "usually"?

"However" introduces a contrast or exception, while "usually" indicates that something happens regularly or frequently. Combining them directly can create a grammatically awkward construction.