anyway

adverb

any·​way ˈe-nē-ˌwā How to pronounce anyway (audio)
Synonyms of anyway
1
: in any way whatever : anywise
2
: in any case : without regard to other considerations : anyhow
She knew it was dangerous, but she did it anyway.
3
: as an additional consideration or thought
We don't need a new car, and anyway, we can't afford one.

Examples of anyway in a Sentence

The road got worse, but they kept going anyway. I didn't expect her to say “yes,” but I asked her anyway. It makes no difference what we say. She's going to do what she wants anyway. He's far from perfect, but she loves him anyway.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Herzog won a power struggle in the front office, then quit anyway, amid disputes with ownership. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 The stutter-step approach by Bruno Guimãraes on the penalty kick failed anyway and the game remained scoreless into the first hydration break. Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 Total endurance of an engine is also not the only metric that matters anyway. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026 In speeches acclaiming our nation and our leader, we will be told that we (some of us, anyway) are divinely chosen. Jim Rasenberger, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for anyway

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anyway was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anyway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anyway. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

anyway

adverb
any·​way ˈen-ē-ˌwā How to pronounce anyway (audio)
: anyhow

More from Merriam-Webster on anyway

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster