But to all vs However vs Nevertheless

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

But to all

Beyond 10,000 (less common)

However

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

Nevertheless

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adverb

Most common: However

	But to all	However	Nevertheless
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //bʌt tə ɔːl// 🇺🇸 //bʌt tu ɔl//	🇬🇧 /["/haʊˈevə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/haʊˈevər/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˌnevəðəˈles/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˌnevərðəˈles/"]/
Meaning	An expression used to introduce a contradiction or contrast.	but; shows contrast between two ideas.	In spite of that; however.
Example	But to all who doubted, we proved them wrong.	He was feeling bad. He went to work, however, and tried to concentrate.	There is little chance that we will succeed in changing the law. Nevertheless, it is important that we try.
Register	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Beyond 10,000 (less common)	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	A1	B2
Part of speech		adverb	adverb
Collocations	but to all who, but to all people, but to all friends	however, you should, however, it is important, however, I believe	nevertheless, she persisted, nevertheless, it remains, nevertheless, we continue
Antonyms	-	therefore, consequently	therefore, consequently
Common mistakes	Used incorrectly as a conjunction instead of an expression., Confused with similar phrases like 'but for all'.	Confused with 'how ever' which means in what way., Omitting a comma before 'however' when it starts a sentence., Using 'however' inappropriately in very casual contexts.	Used interchangeably with 'however' without understanding context differences., Omitted or misused in informal speech., Confused with 'nonetheless'.
Usage notes	Used to emphasize a contrasting idea; suitable for formal writing but also common in conversations.	Use 'however' to introduce a contrasting idea in a sentence. It's suitable in both spoken and written English but more common in formal writing. Avoid using it at the beginning of informal conversations.	Often used to introduce a contrasting statement or to show that something is true despite what has just been said. It's more common in written English, and may seem too formal in casual spoken contexts.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

but to all.

But to all

However...

Now if, however, there's no reasonable doubt...

Peaky Blinders › S1 E1

However, my opinion has not changed.

However...

Now if, however, there's no reasonable doubt...

However

Frequently asked questions: But to all vs However vs Nevertheless

What's the difference between But to all, However, and Nevertheless?

But to all: An expression used to introduce a contradiction or contrast. However: but; shows contrast between two ideas. Nevertheless: In spite of that; however.

Which is more common: But to all, However, and Nevertheless?

However is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: But to all, However, and Nevertheless?

Nevertheless is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

But to all: But to all who doubted, we proved them wrong. However: He was feeling bad. He went to work, however, and tried to concentrate. Nevertheless: There is little chance that we will succeed in changing the law. Nevertheless, it is important that we try.

Can I use But to all, However, and Nevertheless interchangeably?

Not always. But to all, However, and Nevertheless are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.