Knowing how to counter your argument in an essay can be hard. Sure, you can say “with that being said,” but is it the only phrase that works?
This article will explore some formal synonyms for “with that being said.”
Is It Formal to Say “With That Being Said”?
It is formal to say “with that being said.” It shows that you’re exploring a point that counters the previous one you made. It’s not rude, either. That’s why we think it works so well.
An essay reader will see it as a professional phrase. So, you can use it in academic writing to make a counterpoint. However, you should only use it a few times, so you don’t end up being repetitive.
Here’s an example to show you more about it:
I completed the task as instructed. With that being said, I noticed some problems with the strategy.
Pros
- It’s a great way to introduce a counterpoint.
- It’s professional and acceptable in essays.
Cons
- It can get quite repetitive.
- There are more direct ways to counter a point.
“With that being said” is a great phrase to include in your essays. However, it’s not the only useful one.
Keep reading to learn another way of saying “with that being said.” There are plenty of great options available to help mix things up.
What to Say Instead of “With That Being Said”
- However
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
- Saying that
- Be that as it may
- Yet
- Although
- Even so
- Despite that
- But for all that
1. However
You’ve probably come across “however” plenty of times in essay writing before. After all, it’s one of the most popular ways to make a counterpoint relating to the previous sentence.
We highly recommend using “however” whenever appropriate. It’s a great way to build an argument in your essay.
It’ll also keep the reader engaged with the points you make as long as you can argue both sides effectively.
You may also check out the following examples:
We could not decide on the best way to move forward. However, someone made the choice for both of us.
You can look at this from three different perspectives. However, this article will only focus on one.
2. Nevertheless
Another great alternative to “with that being said” is “nevertheless.”
You will always find this one works well when creating arguments in your essay. It shows that you want to balance both viewpoints before concluding anything.
Using “nevertheless” shows that you want to sound unbiased in your writing. It’s a great way to keep the reader engaged as they learn more about the things you write about.
Here are a few examples to help you with it:
This is the main focus of my essay. Nevertheless, I would still like to find out the best way to move toward a common goal.
You should focus more on the content of my writing. Nevertheless, I appreciate your in-depth review.
3. Nonetheless
“Nonetheless” is synonymous with “nevertheless” (and therefore with “with that being said”).
You can switch between “nonetheless” and “nevertheless” at will. It will keep your essay much more interesting and unique, after all.
Much like its counterpart, “nonetheless” allows you to create arguments in your essay. You can decide how to argue for both sides using a term like this. And again, it will keep the reader interested in whatever you’re arguing about.
Here are a few examples to help you understand it:
We wanted to complete it urgently. Nonetheless, we still took time and effort trying to get it right.
I did not want to let the team down. Nonetheless, I chose the more difficult option to keep everyone engaged.
4. Saying That
You may also find yourself writing “saying that” instead of “with that being said” in some cases.
It’s a great phrase to use sporadically in your essays. You shouldn’t use it more than once as it’s quite conversational and doesn’t always fit the tone of an academic paper.
Saying that, you’ll still find good uses for it (do you see what we did there). It’s worth including to counter your previous sentence. Then, the reader can follow along without getting too bored with your essay’s content.
These examples should also help you with it:
I could not understand the way to proceed. Saying that, I asked around and found the best course of action.
The experiment was well under way. Saying that, it was not going to be an easy task.
5. Be That as It May
If you’re looking for a professional alternative to include in your essays, you can try “be that as it may.”
It’s a great one to use when canceling the point made in a previous sentence.
You may have come across this in formal speaking. It’s a very common way to introduce a counterpoint impactfully. Your readers will be very impressed if you can use “be that as it may” appropriately.
You may also refer to these essay examples:
I could not fathom how to solve the riddle. Be that as it may, I did not quit until my time ran out.
We approached the situation from an unbiased standpoint. Be that as it may, things did not seem to work well in our favor.
6. Yet
When looking into counterarguments, you’ll often come across words and phrases like “yet,” “though,” and “however.”
Therefore, it’s good to include all of them in your essays to keep things interesting.
The more variety you can use between “yet” and similar words, the more interested the reader will be. It shows that you’re exploring different language options rather than relying on the same adverb every time you start a new point.
Here are some examples to show you how it works:
You could have found a more obvious way to complete it. Yet, you chose to go down the most difficult path.
I do not have any understanding of the mechanics behind this. Yet, I wanted to give it a go.
7. Although
“Although” is a great alternative to “with that being said.” It allows you to introduce counterpoints quickly and effectively.
However, it might be a little more informal than some of the other options available.
You can still include it in an essay, but it’s better when you don’t have to impress the reader with formal language.
“Although” introduces more conversational topics, which is good in certain contexts to create a narrative with the reader.
You should also refer to these examples:
I could not understand why they were talking about it like that. Although, I did like the idea that it was because of me.
We decided to complete the task at the same time. Although, it was difficult logistically.
8. Even So
It’s worth including “even so” in your essays to keep your points interesting from one to another.
It’s a really good way to introduce counterpoints that might go against what you mentioned in a previous sentence.
We really enjoy writing “even so” in our essays. So, it’s likely that you’ll find a lot of use for it as well.
It’s also worth mentioning that “even though” is another good synonym. You can switch between them to ensure you don’t use the same phrase twice.
Here are a few examples to show you how it works:
The variables kept changing based on the procedure. Even so, we still achieved reasonable results from the product.
I wanted to find out the best way to approach the situation. Even so, I did not figure out an appropriate way to do so.
9. Despite That
Try using “despite that” (or “in spite of that”) in your essays as well.
It’s a versatile phrase that shows you want to say something that goes against the previous information.
Counterpoints make essays interesting. That’s why so many words and phrases help to introduce them. Keep your reader engaged by using words like this whenever possible.
Perhaps these essay examples will also help you:
We tried to find the best course of action to fix it. Despite that, it appeared that nothing was going to work.
I’m afraid I tried everything I could. Despite that, some things are unsolvable. This appears to be one of those things.
10. But for All That
Finally, you can include “but for all that” in your essay writing.
It’s an interesting alternative. You might not have seen it much before, but it’s a great choice if you’re looking to keep your writing exciting.
We recommend using it once in an essay to make your writing pop. It lets the reader know that you’re an adventurous writer who isn’t afraid of trying slightly more quirky phrases.
Here are a few examples to show you how it works:
We could complete the experiment in the following way. But for all that, we would not get the results we expect.
There are some great alternatives available. But for all that, the original phrase is still the most effective.