somehow

Meanings

1. 1adverbnot comparable

   In some way that is unknown, unexplained or not yet decided.

   Grammar: Often at the start or end of a clause: Somehow, we won.

   Patterns

   • somehow manage to do something
   • find a way somehow

   We will get the money somehow.

   Somehow she found her way back in the dark.

   The cat somehow got into the locked room.

2. 2adverbnot comparableinformal

   For a reason you cannot quite explain, used to describe a feeling or impression.

   Grammar: Often in speech to show a vague feeling: somehow it feels wrong.

   Patterns

   • somehow feel something

   Somehow it did not seem like a good idea.

   The house felt somehow smaller than I remembered.

Common combinations

somehow manage

They somehow manage to stay cheerful.

somehow or other

Somehow or other, we will finish.

somehow find a way

I will somehow find a way to pay.

somehow survive

The plant somehow survived the winter.

feel somehow

I feel somehow responsible.

Synonyms and how they differ

someway

Someway is a rare, informal variant that is less common than somehow.

by hook or by crook

This idiom suggests any method will do, even a dubious one, while somehow just leaves the method unknown.

in some manner

In some manner is more formal and wordy.

for some reason

For some reason points to an unknown cause, while somehow points to an unknown method.

Word family

some determiner

an unspecified amount

someway adverb

in some manner, informal

somewhat adverb

to some degree

someplace adverb

in some unspecified place

Commonly confused: somehow or some how? somehow or somewhat?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “somehow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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