notwithstanding

1. 1
   despite (starts phrase)preposition

   In spite of; placed before a noun or noun phrase to show that something happens or holds true despite it.

   Notwithstanding the committee's concerns, the board approved the budget.

   The company posted a profit this quarter, notwithstanding a sharp fall in sales.

   Similardespite

   Note

   It is heavier than despite and at home in official and legal writing: notwithstanding any objection, notwithstanding the terms of the agreement. James Fenimore Cooper opens a sentence with it in The Last of the Mohicans (1826), “Notwithstanding the high resolution of Hawkeye”. In everyday speech despite or in spite of does the same job and sounds more natural.

2. 2
   despite (ends phrase)postp

   In spite of; placed after the noun or noun phrase it applies to.

   Rising costs notwithstanding, the city pressed ahead with the new stadium.

   The coach's early doubts notwithstanding, the young striker started every game in October.

   Similardespite

   Note

   Legal drafting and journalism both like to put notwithstanding after its noun, often at the head of the sentence and closed off by a comma: the delays notwithstanding, the bridge opened on time. Richard Rae's 2014 report on Manchester United's defeat by MK Dons opens a sentence exactly so. The order shifts the emphasis, not the meaning: the obstacle is named first, then set aside.

3. 3
   all the sameadverb

   Nevertheless; all the same.

   The forecast called for storms, and the crew set sail notwithstanding.

   Her application arrived a day late. The committee, notwithstanding, agreed to consider it.

   Similarnevertheless, nonetheless, regardless, anyway

   Note

   The word is literally not + withstanding: what follows does not stand in the way. As an adverb it needs no noun, because the obstacle has already been named, so it comes at the end of a clause or between commas: the board, notwithstanding, approved the plan. Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor has “But notwithstanding, man”; in everyday speech all the same does this job.

4. 4
   althoughconjunction

   Although; even though; used to introduce a clause.

   The road stayed closed for another week, notwithstanding that the repairs were finished.

   Notwithstanding that he had never sailed before, he signed on as a deckhand.

   Similaralthough, though

   Note

   As a conjunction it opens a whole clause with its own verb, usually through that, as the Railway Magazine did in 1951: “notwithstanding that it is comparable in dimensions”. Daniel Defoe's The Fortunate Mistress (1724) leaves the that out, as older writers often did, but without it the clause is easily misread as the preposition with a noun, so present-day writers keep it.

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