Meanings
alternative obsolete rare noughtwithstanding · alternative misconstruction nonwithstanding
- not comparableNevertheless, all the same.
He, notwithstanding, persisted in his inquiries.
2 more examples
But notwithstanding, man, I'll do you your master what good I can;
c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
1789, United States Contitution, Supremacy Clause, (Please provide the book title or journal name)Synonyms: all the same, nevertheless, nonetheless, still, anyway, after all, regardless, yet
alternative obsolete rare noughtwithstanding · alternative misconstruction nonwithstanding
- Although; despite the fact that; even though.
Notwithstanding I was provoked, I ought not to have reacted so violently.
2 more examples
After this, Amy told her, That notvvithſtanding I vvas angry vvith her, and had uſed her ſo hardly, for ſaying ſomething about her of the ſame kind; yet there vvas an abſolute Neceſſity of ſecuring her, and removing her out of the VVay; […]
Roxana
1724, [Daniel Defoe], The Fortunate Mistress; […] [Roxana], London: […] E. Applebee, […], published 1740, →OCLC, page 293The firebox married to Britannia's boiler is not, however, in the Doncaster tradition, notwithstanding that it is comparable in dimensions to that of the "V2."
1951 April, Stirling Everard, “A Matter of Pedigree”, in Railway Magazine, number 600, page 273
alternative obsolete rare noughtwithstanding · alternative misconstruction nonwithstanding
- In spite of, despite.
Notwithstanding personal preferences, the school district's rules on the topic govern our decision.
2 more examples
Those on whom Christ bestowed miraculous cures were so transported that their gratitude made them, notwithstanding his prohibition, proclaim the wonders he had done.
1675, Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian PietyNotwithstanding the high resolution of Hawkeye he fully comprehended all the difficulties and danger he was about to incur.
1826, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 26, in The Last of the MohicansSynonyms: regardless of, maugre
alternative obsolete rare noughtwithstanding · alternative misconstruction nonwithstanding
- In spite of, despite.
The lack of a catalog notwithstanding, it was a very interesting exhibit.
4 more examples
in accordance with school district rules on the topic, personal preferences notwithstanding
And be it declared and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that an Habeas Corpus, according to the true intent and meaning of this act, may be directed and seen in any county Palatine, the Cinque Ports, or other privileged places within the Kindgom of England, dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick upon Tweed, and the islands of Jersey and Guernsey; any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.
1679, Habeas Corpus Act, section 11Van Gaal’s dismissal of his ability to play a central role notwithstanding, Shinji Kagawa began playing just behind the strikers Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernández.
2014 August 26, Richard Rae, “Manchester United humbled by MK Dons after Will Grigg hits double”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 19 Mar 2016Wokefishing notwithstanding, Layla told Vice she isn’t optimistic about the prospects of dating outside of political bubbles.
2020 July 30, Ben Cost, “‘Wokefish’ dating trend: Shady men are pretending to be progressive on apps”, in New York Post, archived from the original on 06 Oct 2020Synonyms: despite, in spite of, maugre
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbNevertheless, all the same.
prepositionIn spite of, despite.
postpIn spite of, despite.
More synonyms by meaning
adverbdespite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishnotwithstandinge
- Englishnotwithstanding
From Middle English notwithstandinge, notwithstondyng, natwithstandyng, equivalent to not + withstanding. Compare Middle English notgainstonding, not aȝenstondynge, of similar meaning and formation.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic عَلَى اَلرَّغْم مِن, عَلَى اَلرَّغْم مِن
- عَلَى اَلرَّغْم مِن (ʕalā r-raḡm min)although
- عَلَى اَلرَّغْم مِن (ʕalā r-raḡm min)in spite of
Bengali অথচ
- অথচ (othoc)although
Bulgarian въпреки, все пак
- въпреки (văpreki)although
- все пак (vse pak)in spite of
Catalan no obstant
- no obstantin spite of
Czech přes, vzdor
- přesin spite of
- vzdorin spite of
- navzdoryin spite of
Danish trods, uagtet
- trodsin spite of
- uagtetin spite of
Dutch niettegenstaande
- niettegenstaandein spite of
Esperanto malgraŭ
- malgraŭin spite of
Finnish vaikka, huolimatta
- vaikkaalthough
- huolimattain spite of
French bien que, en dépit de
- bien quealthough
- en dépit dein spite of
- nonobstantin spite of
- malgréin spite of
German obwohl, obgleich
- obwohlalthough
- obgleichalthough
- wenngleichalthough
- obschonalthough
- ungeachtetin spite of
- trotzin spite of
Hebrew למרות, אף על פי
- למרות (lamrot)in spite of
- אף על פי (af al pi)in spite of
Hungarian noha, bár
- nohaalthough
- báralthough
Icelandic enda þótt, þó að
- enda þóttalthough
- þó aðalthough
- þrátt fyririn spite of
Irish d’ainneoin, in ainneoin
- d’ainneoinin spite of
- in ainneoinin spite of
- ainneoinin spite of
Italian nonostante
- nonostantein spite of
Polish mimo że, mimo
- mimo żealthough
- mimoin spite of
- pomimoin spite of
Portuguese apesar de
- apesar dein spite of
Romanian în ciuda faptului că
- în ciuda faptului căin spite of
Russian хотя́, несмотря́ на
- хотя́ (xotjá)although
- несмотря́ на (nesmotrjá na)in spite of
- вопреки (vopreki)in spite of
Slovak napriek tomu (že)
- napriek tomu (že)although
Spanish no obstante
- no obstantein spite of
Swedish oaktat, trots
- oaktatin spite of
- trotsin spite of
Turkish olduğu halde, olmakla birlikte
- olduğu haldealthough
- olmakla birliktealthough
- olmasına karşınalthough
- olmasına rağmenalthough
- olsa daalthough
- rağmenin spite of
- karşınin spite of
Ukrainian хоч, хоча́
- хоч (xoč)although
- хоча́ (xočá)although
- незважа́ючи на (nezvažájučy na)in spite of
- по́при (pópry)in spite of
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with notwithstanding
All rhymes →Cite this entry
notwithstanding. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/notwithstanding
“notwithstanding.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/notwithstanding. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “notwithstanding,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/notwithstanding.
Source: notwithstanding on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.