may not however

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "may not however" is not correct as it stands and is awkward in written English.
It can be used when you want to express a limitation or exception, but it needs to be restructured for clarity. Example: "You may not, however, proceed without approval."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Size may not, however, prove to be a magic elixir.

The New York Times

It may not, however, remain the only version.

The New York Times - Arts

Similar rail investments in different locations may not however have the same economic impacts — geography matters.

Journal of Transport Geography

That may not, however, be an entirely bad thing for the elderly president.

The Guardian

The drug escort may not, however, let the athlete out of sight the entire time.

The New York Times - Sports

This may not, however, be Luckey's choice; Zuckerberg had already suggested otherwise.

The New Yorker

Time may not, however, be on the side of the business schools' entrepreneurial bent.

The New York Times - Magazine

You may not, however, have heard of this one, an admissions scandal of a different sort.

The Washington Post

The student may not, however, fulfill any other degree requirements during the time on leave.

Yale University

Clinical human studies may not, however, be able to replicate results previously obtained from animal experiments.

Journal of Dentistry

The patients may not, however, necessarily be seen in the anesthesia clinic prior to surgery.

Journal of Clinical Anesthesia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For improved clarity and grammatical correctness, restructure your sentence to place "however" at the beginning of a clause or after the subject. For instance, rewrite "This may not however work" as "However, this may not work" or "This, however, may not work".

Common error

Avoid placing "however" directly after "not" without proper punctuation. This creates an awkward construction. Always ensure "however" is set off by commas or begins a new clause for better readability and grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may not however" functions as an adverbial phrase attempting to introduce a contrast or exception. Although frequently used, Ludwig AI states that this construction is grammatically incorrect and creates awkward sentences.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

35%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "may not however" is frequently encountered across various contexts, from news to scientific literature. Despite its prevalence, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect and awkward. To improve clarity and correctness, it's recommended to rephrase sentences by placing "however" at the beginning of a clause (e.g., "However, this may not work") or using alternative conjunctions like "but" or "though". While the phrase is widespread, adopting these corrections enhances writing quality and precision. The source quality for this phrase is generally high, stemming from reputable news and academic sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might not though

Replaces "however" with "though" for a more concise and less formal expression of contrast.

may not but

Uses "but" instead of "however" for a simpler conjunction indicating contrast.

might not yet

Shifts the focus to a future possibility rather than a present contradiction, altering the temporal aspect.

might not rather

Suggests a preference against something, changing the nuance from a simple contrast to a disinclination.

may not just

Indicates that something is not only the case, adding an aspect of exclusivity that isn't present in the original.

may not otherwise

Implies a condition where something differs from the norm, introducing a sense of exceptional circumstances.

may not thus

Connects a result or consequence that might not occur, emphasizing the uncertainty of the outcome.

may not still

Highlights a situation that could remain unchanged, shifting the focus to persistence over time.

may not better

Suggests that an alternative might not be superior, introducing a comparative element.

may not regardless

Indicates that something might occur irrespective of other factors, adding a sense of inevitability.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "may not" with a contrasting word?

Instead of "may not however", use "may not, but" or "might not though". For example, "It may not be ideal, but it's functional" or "It might not be easy, though it's necessary".

What are alternatives to "may not however" that maintain a similar meaning?

Alternatives include phrases like "might not though", "may not but", or rephrasing with "however" at the start of the clause.

Is it grammatically correct to place "however" directly after "not"?

Generally, placing "however" directly after "not" is considered grammatically awkward. It's better to restructure the sentence for clarity, for example by placing "however" at the beginning of a clause.

What's the difference between "may not however" and "however, it may not"?

While "may not however" is awkward and generally avoided, "however, it may not" is grammatically correct. The latter uses "however" as a transitional word, set off by a comma, to contrast the preceding statement.