anyway

adverb

any·​way ˈe-nē-ˌwā How to pronounce anyway (audio)
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.
And yet, American health officials appear to have sought his advice anyway. Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025 Psychology can trump data in today’s attention economy, especially if nobody trusts the data anyway. Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Besides, most of us were summoned there by our phones anyway. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025 Those both come back around, as does another subplot about Alex (Jess McLeod), the estranged child of the recently deceased former sheriff who was not invited to the funeral, but comes home anyway. Katie Rife, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Anyway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anyway. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

anyway

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

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