ENGLISH
REFERENCE

notwithstanding

prep.
C1 Advanced US //ˌnɑtwɪθˈstændɪŋ// UK //nˌɒtwɪðstˈændɪŋ// not·with·stand·ing Academic

prep. despite something or even though something else is true. You use it to show that one fact does not stop another thing from happening.

prep. despite or in spite of; introduces a factor that does not prevent the main statement from being true. Historically also used as an adverb or conjunction, but those uses are now rare.


SIMPLE

Notwithstanding the rain, the outdoor concert continued.

CONTEXTUAL

Notwithstanding several minor technical delays, the satellite launch was completed exactly on schedule.

COMPLEX

The legal team decided to proceed with the appeal, their recent setbacks notwithstanding, as they believed the original verdict was fundamentally flawed.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English notwithstandinge, notwithstondyng, natwithstandyng, equivalent to not + withstanding. Compare Middle English notgainstonding, not aȝenstondynge, of similar meaning and formation.

Usage

Can be placed either before or after the noun phrase it modifies; the post-positional use ('the rain notwithstanding') is more formal.

Pitfall

notwithstanding of the costnotwithstanding the costNotwithstanding is a preposition and does not take 'of'.

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