Can You Start a Sentence with However?

August 13, 20263 min readKarin Littlewood

Yes, you can. Whatever you have heard about not using "however" at the start of a sentence is almost certainly a myth.

Modern English writers, including journalists, academics, and professional editors, begin sentences with "however" all the time. You just have to do it correctly. The confusion comes from old grammar advice that discouraged opening with words like but, and, or however. There is no grammatical rule against it; it is all about how you punctuate and place the word.

When we start a sentence with "however," it usually means "nevertheless" or "on the other hand." It introduces contrast or a shift in thought between two sentences. For example: "The team worked hard. However, they could not meet the deadline."

The two cases where "however" belongs at the start

It signals contrast or transition, so it only fits when there is something to contrast or transition from.

01
To show contrast
If you want to present an opposing idea or a different point of view, "however" signals that something opposite is coming. For example: "I usually enjoy working late. However, yesterday I was too tired to focus." Or: "The plan looked perfect on paper. However, it did not work out in practice."
02
To mean "in whatever way" or "to whatever extent"
Here "however" expresses "no matter how," connecting with an adjective or adverb to show that something holds under any condition. For example: "However hard he tries, he cannot beat his own record." Or: "However you look at it, the results are impressive."

Common mistakes, side by side

The two that catch writers out are a comma where a semicolon belongs, and a fragment left hanging.

Incorrect	Correct	What went wrong
I wanted to go to the concert, however, I was too tired.	I wanted to go to the concert; however, I was too tired.	A comma is too weak to join two complete sentences. Use a semicolon.
However the weather was bad.	However, the weather was bad, so we still went hiking.	The first is a fragment. "However" needs a complete thought after it, and a comma.

Alternatives to starting with "however"

Human writing varies its structures and vocabulary. AI text repeats the same phrases, so rotating these keeps a draft natural.

Alternative	Best for	Example
Nevertheless	Formal writing.	The plan was risky; nevertheless, it succeeded.
Still	Blogs and conversational writing.	The product was expensive. Still, people loved it.
Yet	Short, powerful transitions.	It looked easy. Yet, no one could solve it.
Even so	Adding a touch of surprise or contrast.	He had little time. Even so, he finished the project.
On the other hand	Comparing two ideas or perspectives.	Organic growth is slow. On the other hand, paid ads deliver quick results.

Placing "however" elsewhere in the sentence

In the middle, wrap it in commas

"The plan was, however, more expensive than expected." The commas mark the shift in thought.

At the end, it reads as an afterthought

"We wanted to go out; we stayed home, however." Grammatically fine, as long as the transition still feels natural rather than forced.

Mix the alternatives to suit your audience

Rotating between however, still, yet and on the other hand keeps your writing dynamic and reader-friendly.

Conclusion

Starting a sentence with "however" is completely acceptable, as long as you use it correctly and with purpose.

Your punctuation and tone have to match the flow of your writing. Get that right and you can place it at the beginning, the middle, or the end. Use it wisely and your sentences will keep their balance between formality and flow.

Quick answers

Yes, absolutely. The confusion comes from old grammar advice that discouraged starting sentences with but, and, or however. There is no grammatical rule against it; what matters is how you punctuate and use the word.

It usually means "nevertheless" or "on the other hand." It introduces contrast, or a shift in thought between two sentences.

Yes. In the middle it is usually surrounded by commas to mark the shift in thought. At the end it reads as a contrast or an afterthought. Both forms are grammatically correct.

Using a comma where a semicolon is needed. "I wanted to go to the concert, however, I was too tired" is incorrect; "I wanted to go to the concert; however, I was too tired" is right.

Related: see the full Grammar & Word Choice guide for more confused-word and punctuation explainers.

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