But to all vs However

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

Most common: However

	But to all	However
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //bʌt tə ɔːl// 🇺🇸 //bʌt tu ɔl//	🇬🇧 /["/haʊˈevə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/haʊˈevər/"]/
Meaning	An expression used to introduce a contradiction or contrast.	but; shows contrast between two ideas.
Example	But to all who doubted, we proved them wrong.	He was feeling bad. He went to work, however, and tried to concentrate.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Beyond 10,000 (less common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	A1
Part of speech		adverb
Collocations	but to all who, but to all people, but to all friends	however, you should, however, it is important, however, I believe
Antonyms	-	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.
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.

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

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

But to all: An expression used to introduce a contradiction or contrast. However: but; shows contrast between two ideas.

Which is more common: But to all and However?

However is the most common in everyday English.

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.

Can I use But to all and However interchangeably?

Not always. But to all and However 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.