Nonetheless vs Still
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Nonetheless
Top 2,000 (common)C1adverb
Still
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adverb
Most common: Still
| Nonetheless | Still | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌnʌnðəˈles/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌnʌnðəˈles/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/stɪl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/stɪl/"]/ |
| Meaning | In spite of that; however. | not moving; quiet |
| Example | The book is too long but, nonetheless, informative and entertaining. | She is still waiting for her friends to arrive. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | nonetheless acknowledge, nonetheless consider, nonetheless important | still water, still life, still waiting, still standing |
| Antonyms | therefore, consequently | yet, already |
| Common mistakes | Using 'nonetheless' where 'but' would suffice., Misplacing 'nonetheless' within a sentence., Confusing 'nonetheless' with 'nevertheless'; both are similar but 'nonetheless' is slightly more formal. | Confused with 'steal', leading to incorrect usage., Using it in a question when it should be a statement, e.g., 'Is it still raining?' incorrectly phrased as 'Is still it raining?'., Overusing in sequences; proper placement in a sentence can be tricky. |
| Usage notes | Use 'nonetheless' to contrast or show that something is true despite what has been said. More common in written English; less suitable for casual spoken conversations. | Used to describe something that is not changing or happening yet. Appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but can sound more formal when used in written form. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Nonetheless vs Still
What's the difference between Nonetheless and Still?
Nonetheless: In spite of that; however. Still: not moving; quiet
Which is more common: Nonetheless and Still?
Still is the most common in everyday English.
Are Nonetheless and Still the same CEFR level?
Nonetheless: C1, Still: A1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Nonetheless and Still interchangeably?
Not always. Nonetheless and Still 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.