synonym for like in an essay

Synonyms of like

Conjunction.

• as in to want
• as in to prefer
• as in to enjoy
• as in to please
• as in equivalent
• as in liking
• as in similar
• as in pretty
• as in about
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Thesaurus Definition of like

 (Entry 1 of 6)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• delight (in)
• groove (on)
• yearn (for)
• hanker (for or after)
• lean (toward or towards)
• be partial to
• cotton (to)
• single (out)
• incline (toward)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rejoice (in)
• get off (on)
• have a soft spot for
• get a charge out of
• get a kick out of
• indulge (in)
• wallow (in)
• luxuriate (in)
• hunger (for)
• lust (for or after)
• pant (after)
• thirst (for)
• repine (for)
• hanker (for)

Thesaurus Definition of like  (Entry 2 of 6)

• description
• counterpart

Thesaurus Definition of like  (Entry 3 of 6)

• love affair
• inclination
• indifference
• disinclination

Thesaurus Definition of like  (Entry 4 of 6)

• corresponding
• correspondent
• on the order of
• commensurate
• proportionate
• approaching
• interchangeable
• conformable
• indistinguishable
• homogeneous
• approximating
• substitutable
• congenerous
• coextensive
• distinguishable
• nonequivalent
• noninterchangeable
• unconnected

Thesaurus Definition of like  (Entry 5 of 6)

• to a degree
• after a sort
• more or less
• incompletely
• particularly
• exceedingly
• exceptionally
• significantly
• substantially
• frightfully
• considerably
• extensively
• surpassingly
• approximately
• somewhere about
• after a fashion
• plus or minus
• somewhere around
• practically
• well - nigh
• smack - dab

Thesaurus Definition of like  (Entry 6 of 6)

Phrases Containing like

• as like as not

like a shot

• go like clockwork
• like as not
• like wildfire
• like gangbusters

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Cite this Entry

“Like.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/like. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on like

Nglish: Translation of like for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of like for Arabic Speakers

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What to Say Instead of ‘Like’ in an Essay: Tips and Examples

Is It OK to Use Like in Essays?

Is it ok to use like in formal writing, alternatives to using “like” in formal writing.

• For instance
• As an example
• In particular
• To illustrate
• In other words
• That’s to say
• Furthermore
• Additionally
• Alternatively
• Instead of “like”
• In contrast to
• Compared to

Can I Use the Word Like in Academic Writing?

Should i stop using the word like, can like be used instead of such as, examples of common phrases that use like or such as.

• For example
• Among others
• As an illustration
• To name a few
• And the like

What Is Another Word for Like for Like?

The importance of using precise language when comparing or contrasting things.

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adjective as in similar

Strongest matches

Strong matches

• approximating
• corresponding

Weak matches

• according to
• approximative
• carbon-copy
• coextensive
• commensurate
• congenerous
• in the manner of
• much the same
• not far from
• on the order of
• undifferentiated

verb as in enjoy, be fond of

• be gratified by
• be partial to
• be pleased by
• be sweet on
• derive pleasure from
• find appealing
• get a kick out of
• luxuriate in
• take an interest in
• take delight in
• take satisfaction in

verb as in choose, feel inclined

• feel disposed
• have a preference for
• incline toward

adverb as in for instance

Strongest match

• for example
• for instance

Discover More

Related words.

Words related to like are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word like . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

verb as in believe the goodness, realness of something

• acknowledge
• countenance
• take as gospel truth
• take stock in

adjective as in kindred

adjective as in related or connected

• approximate
• carbon copy
• correspondent
• dead ringer
• indistinguishable
• proportionate
• same difference
• spitting image

adjective as in agreeing, similar

• convertible
• interchangeable

Viewing 5 / 108 related words

Example Sentences

They included brands like Lundberg Family Farms, Hain, and Chico-San.

Apples, to me, can be diced like onions, and popcorn eaten one kernel at a time.

Snowflake on Wednesday went public in the largest software IPO of all time, and then kept running like the Energizer Bunny on speed.

Up until recently, CBD and marijuana brands could not advertise on Google or Facebook, and networks like Taboola and Outbrain wouldn’t sell them traffic either.

I still like playing it down because I don’t want to create a panic.

So I just patted him kind-like on the shoulder and sat down.

Where these laser-like missiles are falling out of the sky onto a city and you have to stop each of them from hitting the targets?

It got so bad, that the school resorted to “Groupon-like services” to fill seats.

Though not in production yet, the high-end heels will be sold through a Tesla-like model.

He was kept in a dorm-like building, which has also been reported in other allegations.

May looked along at the dimpled grace, And then at the saint-like, fair old face, “How funny!”

His strong legs and his broad, spade-like feet helped to make him a fine swimmer.

The wave-like movement of these animals is particularly graceful and cleverly done.

These dreamy, Madonna-like beauties are the result of the most severe and protracted study.

Rarely, sodium urate occurs in crystalline form—slender prisms, arranged in fan- or sheaf-like structures (Fig. 32).

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On this page you'll find 232 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to like, such as: alike, comparable, related, agnate, allied, and allying.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

Related Words and Phrases

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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Like – Synonyms

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The word “like” can be categorized as an adjective , adverb, noun, and verb . In general, the word indicates a comparison or similarity between something or someone and another person or object. As a verb, it also signifies that someone enjoys something. Another word for “like” is “to enjoy , ” “similar,” or “about.” However, more synonyms will be outlined in the following article.

On our overview page for synonyms, you can find the best options of synonyms for a vast variety of words that are used in academic writing .

To the overview page for synonyms

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 “Like” – General synonyms
• 2 “Like” – Synonyms used in academic writing

“Like” – General synonyms

The word “like” can be used in a variety of ways and has lots of different meanings. In the following subheadings, these will be presented in a detailed list.

“Like” in the sense of to enjoy

Synonyms of the word like in the sense of to enjoy will be listed below.

• Delight (in)
• Lean (toward/s)
• Rejoice (in)

“Like” in the sense of similar

Synonyms of the word like in the sense of similar will be listed below.

• Correspondent
• Corresponding
• Indistinguishable
• Interchangeable

“Like” in the sense of pretty

Synonyms of the word like in the sense of pretty will be listed below.

• After a sort
• To a degree

“Like” in the sense of about

Synonyms of the word like in the sense of about will be listed below.

• After a fashion
• Approximately
• More or less
• Plus or minus
• Practically
• Somewhere about
• Somewhere around

“Like” in the sense of equivalent

Synonyms of the word like in the sense of equivalent will be listed below.

• Counterpart
• Description

“Like” in the sense of liking

Synonyms of the word like in the sense of liking will be listed below.

• Love affair

“Like” – Synonyms used in academic writing

In academic writing, “like” can be used as a conjunction to introduce a comparison between two concepts. However, it is recommended to use more formal or precise language and to avoid using “like” as an overly general or imprecise comparison.

Synonyms for “like” that can be used for an academic piece of writing include “comparable,” “to resemble,” and “similar.” Find examples in the table below.

Are you looking for suitable synonyms for “like” for your academic paper? Have a look at the table below with the top suggestions from our BachelorPrint-Team .

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12 Alternatives to “Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly” in an Essay

Essays are hard enough to get right without constantly worrying about introducing new points of discussion.

You might have tried using “firstly, secondly, thirdly” in an essay, but are there better alternatives out there?

This article will explore some synonyms to give you other ways to say “firstly, secondly, thirdly” in academic writing.

Can I Say “Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly”?

You can not say “firstly, secondly, thirdly” in academic writing. It sounds jarring to most readers, so you’re better off using “first, second, third” (removing the -ly suffix).

Technically, it is correct to say “firstly, secondly, thirdly.” You could even go on to say “fourthly” and “fifthly” when making further points. However, none of these words have a place in formal writing and essays.

Still, these examples will show you how to use all three of them:

Firstly , I would like to touch on why this is problematic behavior. Secondly , we need to discuss the solutions to make it better. Thirdly , I will finalize the discussion and determine the best course of action.

• It allows you to enumerate your points.
• It’s easy to follow for a reader.
• It’s very informal.
• There’s no reason to add the “-ly” suffix.

Clearly, “firstly, secondly, thirdly” are not appropriate in essays. Therefore, it’s best to have a few alternatives ready to go.

Keep reading to learn the best synonyms showing you what to use instead of “firstly, secondly, thirdly.” Then, we’ll provide examples for each as well.

What to Say Instead of “Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly”

• First of all
• One reason is
• Continuing on
• In addition

1. First of All

“First of all” is a great way to replace “firstly” at the start of a list .

We recommend using it to show that you have more points to make. Usually, it implies you start with the most important point .

Here are some examples to show you how it works:

First of all , I would like to draw your attention to the issues in question. Then, it’s important that we discuss what comes next. Finally, you should know that we’re going to work out the best solution.

2. To Begin

Another great way to start an essay or sentence is “to begin.” It shows that you’re beginning on one point and willing to move on to other important ones.

It’s up to you to decide which phrases come after “to begin.” As long as there’s a clear way for the reader to follow along , you’re all good.

These examples will also help you with it:

To begin , we should decide which variables will be the most appropriate for it. After that, it’s worth exploring the alternatives to see which one works best. In conclusion, I will decide whether there are any more appropriate options available.

“First” is much better than “firstly” in every written situation. You can include it in academic writing because it is more concise and professional .

Also, it’s somewhat more effective than “first of all” (the first synonym). It’s much easier to use one word to start a list. Naturally, “second” and “third” can follow when listing items in this way.

Here are a few examples to help you understand it:

First , you should know that I have explored all the relevant options to help us. Second, there has to be a more efficient protocol. Third, I would like to decide on a better task-completion method.

4. One Reason Is

You may also use “one reason is” to start a discussion that includes multiple points . Generally, you would follow it up with “another reason is” and “the final reason is.”

It’s a more streamlined alternative to “firstly, secondly, thirdly.” So, we recommend using it when you want to clearly discuss all points involved in a situation.

This essay sample will help you understand more about it:

One reason is that it makes more sense to explore these options together. Another reason comes from being able to understand each other’s instincts. The final reason is related to knowing what you want and how to get it.

“Second” is a great follow-on from “first.” Again, it’s better than writing “secondly” because it sounds more formal and is acceptable in most essays.

We highly recommend using “second” after you’ve started a list with “first.” It allows you to cover the second point in a list without having to explain the flow to the reader.

Check out the following examples to help you:

First, you should consider the answer before we get there. Second , your answer will be questioned and discussed to determine both sides. Third, you will have a new, unbiased opinion based on the previous discussion.

6. Continuing On

You can use “continuing on” as a follow-up to most introductory points in a list.

It works well after something like “to begin,” as it shows that you’re continuing the list reasonably and clearly.

Perhaps these examples will shed some light on it:

To begin, there needs to be a clear example of how this should work. Continuing on , I will look into other options to keep the experiment fair. Finally, the result will reveal itself, making it clear whether my idea worked.

Generally, “next” is one of the most versatile options to continue a list . You can include it after almost any introductory phrase (like “first,” “to begin,” or “one reason is”).

It’s great to include in essays, but be careful with it. It can become too repetitive if you say “next” too many times. Try to limit how many times you include it in your lists to keep your essay interesting.

Check out the following examples if you’re still unsure:

To start, it’s wise to validate the method to ensure there were no initial errors. Next , I think exploring alternatives is important, as you never know which is most effective. Then, you can touch on new ideas that might help.

One of the most effective and versatile words to include in a list is “then.”

It works at any stage during the list (after the first stage, of course). So, it’s worth including it when you want to continue talking about something.

For instance:

First of all, the discussion about rights was necessary. Then , it was important to determine whether we agreed or not. After that, we had to convince the rest of the team to come to our way of thinking.

9. In Addition

Making additions to your essays allows the reader to easily follow your lists. We recommend using “in addition” as the second (or third) option in a list .

It’s a great one to include after any list opener. It shows that you’ve got something specific to add that’s worth mentioning.

These essay samples should help you understand it better:

First, it’s important that we iron out any of the problems we had before. In addition , it’s clear that we have to move on to more sustainable options. Then, we can figure out the costs behind each option.

Naturally, “third” is the next in line when following “first” and “second.” Again, it’s more effective than “thirdly,” making it a much more suitable option in essays.

We recommend using it to make your third (and often final) point. It’s a great way to close a list , allowing you to finalize your discussion. The reader will appreciate your clarity when using “third” to list three items.

Here are some examples to demonstrate how it works:

First, you need to understand the basics of the mechanism. Second, I will teach you how to change most fundamentals. Third , you will build your own mechanism with the knowledge you’ve gained.

11. Finally

“Finally” is an excellent way to close a list in an essay . It’s very final (hence the name) and shows that you have no more points to list .

Generally, “finally” allows you to explain the most important part of the list. “Finally” generally means you are touching on something that’s more important than everything that came before it.

For example:

First, thank you for reading my essay, as it will help me determine if I’m on to something. Next, I would like to start working on this immediately to see what I can learn. Finally , you will learn for yourself what it takes to complete a task like this.

12. To Wrap Up

Readers like closure. They will always look for ways to wrap up plot points and lists. So, “to wrap up” is a great phrase to include in your academic writing .

It shows that you are concluding a list , regardless of how many points came before it. Generally, “to wrap up” covers everything you’ve been through previously to ensure the reader follows everything you said.

To start with, I requested that we change venues to ensure optimal conditions. Following that, we moved on to the variables that might have the biggest impact. To wrap up , the experiment went as well as could be expected, with a few minor issues.

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• Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Published on May 29, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2023.

Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.

The proposed solution to the problem did not work. Therefore , we attempted a second solution. However , this solution was also unsuccessful.

For clear writing, it’s essential to understand the meaning of transition words and use them correctly.

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Table of contents

When and how to use transition words, types and examples of transition words, common mistakes with transition words, other interesting articles.

Transition words commonly appear at the start of a new sentence or clause (followed by a comma ), serving to express how this clause relates to the previous one.

Transition words can also appear in the middle of a clause. It’s important to place them correctly to convey the meaning you intend.

Example text with and without transition words

The text below describes all the events it needs to, but it does not use any transition words to connect them. Because of this, it’s not clear exactly how these different events are related or what point the author is making by telling us about them.

If we add some transition words at appropriate moments, the text reads more smoothly and the relationship among the events described becomes clearer.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Consequently , France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union initially worked with Germany in order to partition Poland. However , Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Don’t overuse transition words

While transition words are essential to clear writing, it’s possible to use too many of them. Consider the following example, in which the overuse of linking words slows down the text and makes it feel repetitive.

In this case the best way to fix the problem is to simplify the text so that fewer linking words are needed.

The key to using transition words effectively is striking the right balance. It is difficult to follow the logic of a text with no transition words, but a text where every sentence begins with a transition word can feel over-explained.

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There are four main types of transition word: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific functions.

Remember that transition words with similar meanings are not necessarily interchangeable. It’s important to understand the meaning of all the transition words you use. If unsure, consult a dictionary to find the precise definition.

Additive transition words

Additive transition words introduce new information or examples. They can be used to expand upon, compare with, or clarify the preceding text.

Adversative transition words

Adversative transition words always signal a contrast of some kind. They can be used to introduce information that disagrees or contrasts with the preceding text.

Causal transition words

Causal transition words are used to describe cause and effect. They can be used to express purpose, consequence, and condition.

Sequential transition words

Sequential transition words indicate a sequence, whether it’s the order in which events occurred chronologically or the order you’re presenting them in your text. They can be used for signposting in academic texts.

Transition words are often used incorrectly. Make sure you understand the proper usage of transition words and phrases, and remember that words with similar meanings don’t necessarily work the same way grammatically.

Misused transition words can make your writing unclear or illogical. Your audience will be easily lost if you misrepresent the connections between your sentences and ideas.

Confused use of therefore

“Therefore” and similar cause-and-effect words are used to state that something is the result of, or follows logically from, the previous. Make sure not to use these words in a way that implies illogical connections.

• We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. Therefore , the average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

The use of “therefore” in this example is illogical: it suggests that the result of 7.5 follows logically from the question being asked, when in fact many other results were possible. To fix this, we simply remove the word “therefore.”

• We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. The average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

Starting a sentence with also , and , or so

While the words “also,” “and,” and “so” are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence.

• Also , a second round of testing was carried out.

To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.

• A second round of testing was also carried out.
• Additionally , a second round of testing was carried out.

Transition words creating sentence fragments

Words like “although” and “because” are called subordinating conjunctions . This means that they introduce clauses which cannot stand on their own. A clause introduced by one of these words should always follow or be followed by another clause in the same sentence.

The second sentence in this example is a fragment, because it consists only of the “although” clause.

• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. Although other researchers disagree.

We can fix this in two different ways. One option is to combine the two sentences into one using a comma. The other option is to use a different transition word that does not create this problem, like “however.”

• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed, although other researchers disagree.
• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. However , other researchers disagree.

And vs. as well as

Students often use the phrase “ as well as ” in place of “and,” but its usage is slightly different. Using “and” suggests that the things you’re listing are of equal importance, while “as well as” introduces additional information that is less important.

• Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf, as well as presenting my analysis of To the Lighthouse .

In this example, the analysis is more important than the background information. To fix this mistake, we can use “and,” or we can change the order of the sentence so that the most important information comes first. Note that we add a comma before “as well as” but not before “and.”

• Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf and presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
• Chapter 1 presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse , as well as discussing some background information on Woolf.

Note that in fixed phrases like “both x and y ,” you must use “and,” not “as well as.”

• Both my results as well as my interpretations are presented below.
• Both my results and my interpretations are presented below.

Use of and/or

The combination of transition words “and/or” should generally be avoided in academic writing. It makes your text look messy and is usually unnecessary to your meaning.

First consider whether you really do mean “and/or” and not just “and” or “or.” If you are certain that you need both, it’s best to separate them to make your meaning as clear as possible.

• Participants were asked whether they used the bus and/or the train.
• Participants were asked whether they used the bus, the train, or both.

Archaic transition words

Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning.

• Poverty is best understood as a disease. Hereby , we not only see that it is hereditary, but acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

These words should usually be replaced with a more explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement relates to the preceding one.

• Poverty is best understood as a disease. Understanding it as such , we not only see that it is hereditary, but also acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

Using a paraphrasing tool for clear writing

With the use of certain tools, you can make your writing clear. One of these tools is a paraphrasing tool . One thing the tool does is help your sentences make more sense. It has different modes where it checks how your text can be improved. For example, automatically adding transition words where needed.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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10 Other Words for “This Shows” in an Essay

Showing how one thing affects another is great in academic writing. It shows that you’ve connected two points with each other, making sure the reader follows along.

However, is “this shows” the only appropriate choice when linking two ideas?

We have gathered some helpful synonyms teaching you other ways to say “this shows” in an essay.

• Demonstrating
• This implies
• This allows
• This displays

Keep reading to learn more words to replace “this shows” in an essay. You can also review the examples we provide under each heading.

Removing “this” from “this shows” creates a simple formal synonym to mix up your writing. You can instead write “showing” in academic writing to demonstrate an effect .

Typically, this is a great way to limit your word count . Sure, you’re only removing one word from your essay, but if you can find other areas to do something similar, you’ll be more efficient .

Efficient essays often make for the most interesting ones. They also make it much easier for the reader to follow, and the reviewer will usually be able to give you a more appropriate grade.

Check out these examples if you still need help:

• The facts state most of the information here, showing that we still have a lot of work to do before moving forward.
• This is the only way to complete the project, showing that things aren’t quite ready to progress.

2. Demonstrating

Following a similar idea to using “showing,” you can also use “demonstrating.” This comes from the idea that “this demonstrates” is a bit redundant. So, you can remove “this.”

Again, demonstrating ideas is a great way to engage the reader . You can use it in the middle of a sentence to explain how two things affect each other.

You can also review the following examples:

• These are the leading causes, demonstrating the fundamental ways to get through it. Which do you think is worth pursuing?
• I would like to direct your attention to this poll, demonstrating the do’s and don’ts for tasks like this one.

3. Leading To

There are plenty of ways to talk about different causes and effects in your writing. A good choice to include in the middle of a sentence is “leading to.”

When something “leads to” something else, it is a direct cause . Therefore, it’s worth including “leading to” in an essay when making relevant connections in your text.

Here are some examples to help you understand it:

• This is what we are looking to achieve, leading to huge capital gains for everyone associated with it.
• I would like to direct your attention to this assignment, leading to what could be huge changes in the status quo.

4. Creating

Often, you can create cause-and-effect relationships in your writing by including two similar ideas. Therefore, it’s worth including “creating” to demonstrate a connection to the reader.

Including “creating” in the middle of a sentence allows you to clarify certain causes . This helps to streamline your academic writing and ensures the reader knows what you’re talking about.

Perhaps these essay samples will also help you:

• We could not complete the task quickly, creating a problem when it came to the next part of the movement.
• I thought about the ideas, creating the process that we know today. I’m glad I took the time to work through it.

5. This Implies

For a more formal way to say “this shows,” try “this implies.” Of course, it doesn’t change much from the original phrase, but that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective.

In fact, using “this implies” (or “implying” for streamlining) allows you to discuss implications and facts from the previous sentence.

You will often start a sentence with “this implies.” It shows you have relevant and useful information to discuss with the reader.

However, it only works when starting a sentence. You cannot use it to start a new paragraph as it does not relate to anything. “This implies” must always relate to something mentioned before.

You can also review these examples:

• I appreciate everything that they did for us. This implies they’re willing to work together on other projects.
• You can’t always get these things right. This implies we still have a lot of work to do before we can finalize anything.

“Proving” is a word you can use instead of “this shows” in an essay. It comes from “this proves,” showing how something creates another situation .

Proof is often the most important in scientific studies and arguments. Therefore, it’s very common to use “proving” instead of “this shows” in scientific essays and writing.

We recommend using this when discussing your experiments and explaining how it might cause something specific to happen. It helps the reader follow your ideas on the page.

Perhaps the following examples will also help you:

• They provided us with multiple variables, proving that we weren’t the only ones working on the experiment.
• I could not figure out the way forward, proving that it came down to a choice. I didn’t know the best course of action.

7. This Allows

Often, when you talk about a cause in your essays, it allows an effect to take place. You can talk more about this relationship with a phrase like “this allows.”

At the start of a sentence , “this allows” is a great way to describe a cause-and-effect relationship . It keeps the reader engaged and ensures they know what you’re talking about.

Also, using “this allows” directly after expressing your views explains the purpose of your writing. This could show a reader why you’ve even decided to write the essay in the first place.

• Many scenarios work here. This allows us to explore different situations to see which works best.
• I found the best way to address the situation. This allows me to provide more ideas to upper management.

8. This Displays

It might not be as common, but “this displays” is still a great choice in academic writing. You can use it when discussing how one thing leads to another .

Usually, “this displays” works best when discussing data points or figures . It’s a great way to show how you can display your information within your writing to make things easy for the reader .

You can refer to these examples if you’re still unsure:

• We have not considered every outcome. This displays a lack of planning and poor judgment regarding the team.
• I’m afraid this is the only way we can continue it. This displays a problem for most of the senior shareholders.

9. Indicating

Indicating how things connect to each other helps readers to pay attention. The clearer your connections, the better your essay will be.

Therefore, it’s worth including “indicating” in the middle of a sentence . It shows you two points relate to each other .

Often, this allows you to talk about specific effects. It’s a great way to explain the purpose of a paragraph (or the essay as a whole, depending on the context).

If you’re still stuck, review these examples:

• There are plenty of great alternatives to use, indicating that you don’t have to be so close-minded about the process.
• I have compiled a list of information to help you, indicating the plethora of ways you can complete it.

10. Suggesting

Finally, “suggesting” is a word you can use instead of “this shows” in an essay. It’s quite formal and works well in academic writing.

We highly recommend using it when creating a suggestion from a previous sentence . It allows the reader to follow along and see how one thing affects another.

Also, it’s not particularly common in essays. Therefore, it’s a great choice to mix things up and keep things a little more interesting.

Here are a few essay samples to help you with it:

• You could have done it in many other ways, suggesting that there was always a better outcome than the one you got.
• I didn’t know what to think of it, suggesting that I was tempted by the offer. I’m still weighing up the options.

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

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Emphasize Synonyms & Antonyms: List of 30+

The ProWritingAid Team

Are you looking to drive home a point?

Do you need to stress how important something is?

Will your writing highlight certain ideas and statements?

Then you're probably looking to emphasize something.

In this article, we'll explore how you can emphasize ideas in your writing, and give you 30+ emphasize synonym & antonym options. Let's get started.

What Are Some Synonyms for Emphasize?

The a–z list of emphasize synonyms, how do i emphasize points in my writing, what are some antonyms of emphasize.

We've already seen some alternatives for emphasize in the examples above. We'll look at their specific definitions, and then list some more alternatives.

What Does it Mean to Drive Something Home?

This doesn't mean putting something in your car and driving it to your house.

Instead, the phrase "drive home" uses the verb to drive in the sense of moving something forward by force. Home here means the final place something will land or arrive—its intended position.

When you drive a point home, you are putting effort into making people understand something clearly by describing it in detail, using lots of examples, or repeating it many times.

"Drive home" is usually used when talking about emphasizing ideas.

Can also mean: Instill; Establish

How Do You Stress the Importance of Something?

This one is similar to drive home, and is also mostly used when referring to ideas.

You've probably heard of stress as a feeling. When you feel stressed, all of your thoughts turn to the thing you are stressed about.

Similarly, when you stress something, you make sure people understand how important it is

Can also mean: Repeat; Underline; Play up; Dwell on

What Does Accentuate Mean?

Accentuate is a visual word, but it can also be used for ideas.

To accentuate something is to indicate its importance by centering attention on it. You place an accent on the thing you want to focus attention on.

While you might use "stress" to describe emphasizing something urgent or worrying, "accentuate" can be more neutral or positive.

You wouldn't "wear a corsage to stress the color of your date's dress," but you could "wear a corsage to accentuate the color of your date's dress."

In this scenario, accentuate can also mean "complement"—to positively emphasize a desirable feature of something.

Normally, something accentuates something else. For example:

She used the data in the table to accentuate her point about decomposition rates.

In this example, to accentuate means to add an extra layer of meaning to something.

Can also mean: Highlight; Complement; Accent

Is Prioritize the Same as Emphasize?

When used to mean "put something first", prioritize is a synonym of emphasize.

The graphic designer prioritized the title on the page.

This means the designer made the title larger, gave it more space—or otherwise emphasized it.

Can also mean: Give precedence to

Why Would You Reiterate Something?

To reiterate means to repeat a point you've made before, maybe in a different way to make sure people have understood it.

I must reiterate that it is of the utmost importance that you don't open the box.

Can also mean: Repeat; Restate; Recapitulate

The examples above describe just some of the ways you might want to emphasize something. The most important thing to remember when looking for a different word to use is to make sure the word you choose matches your meaning.

The words on this list can all be used to mean "to emphasize something", but they can also be used in other ways. Check the specific definition before using a word in your writing.

• Add weight to
• Impress (as in, to make an impression on)
• Labor the point
• Make a point of
• Recapitulate
• Stress/Lay stress on

Looking for a way to only find relevant synonyms? Try ProWritingAid's Thesaurus Report .

The report will highlight every verb, adjective, adverb, and noun in your text and offer contextually relevant alternatives for them.

That means our AI "reads" your writing to work out what you're trying to say, and then only shows synonyms related to your meaning.

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If you want to emphasize (or drive home) a point in an essay or other piece of writing, you'll need to create a strong argument.

In an essay, you need to show how each point you make backs up that argument. One way to do this is by using transition words to link the points in your essay and show how they build on one another.

Words like "consequently", "therefore", and "as a result" emphasize the cause-and-effect relationship between two points.

Using words like "furthermore", "secondly", and "since" emphasize how two points are linked together.

And if you just want to signpost that a point is particularly important, you can start your paragraph with emphasis transition words like "notably", "chiefly", and "in particular". These words tell your reader to pay special attention to these points in relation to your argument.

But what if you want to do the opposite of emphasizing something? An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning to another word.

These words all mean to de-emphasize something:

How to Use Synonyms of Emphasize

Synonyms can help you avoid repetition and provide more specific descriptions.

But remember: words are different for a reason. All of the synonyms listed above have slightly different meanings and purposes. Before you use a word, make sure to check its exact meaning to make sure it matches what you're trying to say.

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12 Fresh Synonyms for ‘I Believe’ in an Essay: Boost Your Vocabulary

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Welcome to our educational blog, where we’re dedicated to helping you elevate your command of the English language . In today’s article, we’re delving into the art of essay writing by exploring “12 Other Ways to Say ‘I Believe’ in an Essay.”

Whether you’re a student looking to impress your professors or a professional seeking to communicate with finesse, this article will provide you with valuable insights.

In the following sections, we’ll unlock a treasure trove of synonyms and creative expressions that will enrich your essays .

We understand that effective writing requires nuance and variety, and that’s precisely what we aim to deliver.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a toolkit of phrases at your disposal to convey your beliefs with eloquence and sophistication.

Key Takeaways:

• Uncover 12 synonyms for “I Believe” to diversify your essay vocabulary.
• Learn how to add depth and sophistication to your writing.
• Enhance your ability to convey thoughts and opinions effectively.

12 Other Ways to Say “I Believe” in an Essay

In the world of essay writing, using the same phrase repeatedly can make your writing monotonous and unimpressive. To help you elevate your essays, we’ve compiled a list of 12 alternative expressions for “I Believe.”

These phrases will add flavor and depth to your writing, making your essays stand out:

• In my opinion, – This classic phrase adds a personal touch to your beliefs.
• From my perspective, – Emphasizes your unique viewpoint.
• As far as I’m concerned, – Shows your commitment to your belief.
• It seems to me that, – Expresses a thoughtful observation.
• I am of the view that, – Conveys a structured and considered opinion.
• To my way of thinking, – Highlights your individual thought process.
• If you ask me, – Adds informality while asserting your opinion.
• I’d like to point out that, – Focuses on drawing attention to a specific aspect.
• It’s my contention that, – Suggests a strong belief or argument.
• I maintain that, – Demonstrates a firm stance on the topic.
• In my estimation, – Indicates a thoughtful evaluation.
• It’s worth noting that, – Emphasizes the significance of your belief.

By incorporating these alternatives into your essays, you’ll not only enrich your vocabulary but also convey your ideas with greater precision and impact. Experiment with these phrases and see how they can elevate your writing to the next level.

It’s My Contention That: Expressing Certainty and Conviction

In the realm of essay writing, conveying confidence in your beliefs is essential. The phrase “It’s my contention that” allows you to do just that. It implies a strong belief, showcasing your unwavering conviction in your argument.

When and Where to Use

• Formal Essays: “It’s my contention that” is highly suitable for formal essays, academic papers, or professional reports. It adds an authoritative tone to your writing.
• Professional Communication: You can use this phrase in professional emails or documents when you want to assert your viewpoint with conviction.
• Debates and Presentations: When you’re engaging in a debate or giving a presentation, using this phrase can emphasize your confidence in your position.

Example Sentences

• In a formal essay: “It’s my contention that the impact of climate change on our planet is undeniable, and immediate action is imperative.”
• In a professional email: “It’s my contention that implementing this strategy will lead to significant cost savings for our company.”

Variations for Different Contexts

• Colleagues: “I firmly believe that”
• Friends: “I’m absolutely convinced that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “It’s my strong belief that”

Pros and Cons

• Conveys a high level of certainty and conviction.
• Adds an authoritative tone to your writing or speech.
• Might sound too formal for casual or creative writing.
• Should be used selectively to avoid overemphasis.

Grammar/Usage Rule: When using “It’s my contention that,” follow it with a complete sentence that elaborates on your belief.

Exception: In very formal contexts, it can be used as a standalone statement.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “contention” means “a strong opinion that is expressed with confidence.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to assert your viewpoint firmly, but be mindful of its formality and use it appropriately in different contexts.

I Am Convinced That: Emphasizing Certainty and Belief

When you want to convey a high level of certainty and belief in your writing, the phrase “I am convinced that” is a powerful choice. It leaves no room for doubt and shows your unwavering commitment to your perspective.

• Formal Essays: “I am convinced that” is suitable for formal essays and academic papers when you want to assert your viewpoint confidently.
• Persuasive Writing: In persuasive essays or speeches, this phrase can make your arguments more compelling by highlighting your strong belief.
• Professional Correspondence: Use it in professional emails or reports to express your certainty in a particular course of action.
• In a formal essay: “I am convinced that renewable energy is the key to a sustainable future.”
• In a persuasive speech: “I am convinced that our community will benefit greatly from investing in education.”
• Friends: “I wholeheartedly believe that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “I am steadfast in my belief that”
• Conveys unwavering certainty and belief.
• Enhances the persuasive impact of your writing or speech.
• May sound overly assertive in some contexts.
• Should be used judiciously to avoid appearing dogmatic.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “I am convinced that” with a complete sentence that provides context or elaborates on your belief.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “convinced” means “completely certain or sure about something.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to emphasize your strong conviction, but be aware of the potential for it to come across as too assertive in certain situations. Use it with confidence, but also with sensitivity to your audience’s expectations.

My Stance Is That: Clarifying Your Position

In the world of essay writing, clarity is key. You want your readers to understand your position on a topic unequivocally. The phrase “My stance is that” is a straightforward way to achieve this, making your perspective clear and concise.

• Formal Essays: “My stance is that” is ideal for formal essays, research papers, or any academic writing where you need to express your viewpoint clearly.
• Debates and Discussions: In debates or discussions, using this phrase can help you state your position in a way that leaves no room for misinterpretation.
• Argumentative Writing: If you’re writing an argumentative essay, this phrase can be particularly effective in presenting your thesis statement.
• In a formal essay: “My stance is that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right.”
• In a debate: “My stance is that stricter environmental regulations are necessary to combat climate change.”
• Colleagues: “I firmly hold that”
• Friends: “I strongly believe that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “My unwavering position is that”
• Provides clarity about your position.
• Effective for stating your thesis or central argument.
• Can be considered somewhat formal for casual writing.
• Use it selectively to avoid repetitiveness in your writing.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “My stance is that” with a clear and concise statement of your position or belief.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “stance” refers to “a particular way of thinking about something, especially expressed in a publicly stated opinion.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to leave no room for ambiguity regarding your position on a topic. It’s especially useful in academic or formal contexts where clarity is paramount.

I Maintain That: Upholding Your Belief

When you want to convey a sense of active commitment to your belief, the phrase “I maintain that” is a powerful choice. It suggests that you not only hold a particular viewpoint but also actively stand by it.

• Formal Essays: “I maintain that” is appropriate for formal essays, research papers, or any academic writing where you want to assert your commitment to your belief.
• Argumentative Writing: In argumentative essays, this phrase can emphasize your unwavering support for your thesis.
• Professional Discussions: Use it in professional discussions or presentations to demonstrate your firm belief in a particular idea or strategy.
• In a formal essay: “I maintain that art has the power to shape society and inspire change.”
• In a professional presentation: “I maintain that our company’s commitment to sustainability sets us apart from our competitors.”
• Colleagues: “I stand firmly by the belief that”
• Friends: “I passionately believe that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “I uphold the view that”
• Expresses active commitment to your belief.
• Adds a level of conviction and dedication to your writing or speech.
• May come across as overly assertive in some contexts.
• Use it judiciously to avoid appearing dogmatic.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “I maintain that” with a clear and concise statement that reinforces your belief.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “maintain” means “to continue to believe or do something, or to state that something is true, even though it may not be generally accepted.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to emphasize your active commitment to your belief. It conveys a strong sense of dedication and can be particularly effective in persuasive or argumentative writing. However, be mindful of the context and tone to avoid appearing too forceful.

In My Estimation: Emphasizing Thoughtful Consideration

In the realm of essay writing, showcasing your thoughtful consideration of a topic is essential. The phrase “In my estimation” allows you to do just that. It emphasizes that your viewpoint is the result of careful evaluation and analysis.

• Formal Essays: “In my estimation” is well-suited for formal essays, academic papers, or any writing where you want to convey that your viewpoint is the result of thorough consideration.
• Analytical Writing: If you’re writing an analytical essay, this phrase can underscore the depth of your analysis.
• Professional Reports: Use it in professional reports or documents when you want to express that your conclusions are based on meticulous examination.
• In a formal essay: “In my estimation, the economic benefits of sustainable agriculture far outweigh the initial investment.”
• In a research paper: “In my estimation, the data supports the hypothesis that increased exercise leads to improved mental health .”
• Colleagues: “I’ve carefully considered and believe that”
• Friends: “After thoughtful reflection, I believe that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “In my considered judgment, I hold that”
• Demonstrates that your viewpoint is the result of careful analysis.
• Adds an air of authority and thoughtfulness to your writing.
• May be considered somewhat formal for casual writing.
• Use it selectively to avoid overemphasizing your analysis.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “In my estimation” with a clear and concise statement that reflects your thoughtful analysis of the topic.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “estimation” refers to “the act of forming an opinion about something.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to convey that your viewpoint is the product of thorough consideration and analysis. It’s particularly effective in academic or formal contexts where demonstrating thoughtfulness is important.

To My Way of Thinking: Inviting Perspective

In the world of essay writing, inviting readers to see things from your perspective can be a powerful tool. The phrase “To my way of thinking” does just that. It adds a personal touch and encourages readers to consider your viewpoint.

• Formal Essays: “To my way of thinking” is suitable for formal essays, research papers, or any academic writing where you want to invite readers to see things from your perspective.
• Opinion Pieces: In opinion-based essays or editorials, this phrase can help you establish your unique viewpoint.
• Persuasive Writing: Use it in persuasive essays or speeches to encourage your audience to adopt your perspective.
• In a formal essay: “To my way of thinking, the principles of democracy are the foundation of a just society.”
• In an opinion piece: “To my way of thinking, the arts play a vital role in fostering creativity and innovation.”
• Colleagues: “From my perspective, I believe that”
• Friends: “In my view, I think that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “To my understanding, I hold that”
• Invites readers to consider your viewpoint.
• Adds a personal touch to your writing, making it more relatable.
• Can be considered somewhat informal for highly formal writing.
• Ensure it aligns with the tone and context of your piece.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “To my way of thinking” with a clear statement that presents your perspective or belief.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “perspective” refers to “a particular way of considering something.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to invite readers to view the topic from your perspective. It adds a personal touch to your writing and encourages engagement by inviting consideration of your viewpoint. Be mindful of the formality of your writing and use it appropriately.

It Appears to Me That: Conveying Introspection and Reflection

In the realm of essay writing, expressing introspection and reflection can add depth to your arguments. The phrase “It appears to me that” allows you to do just that. It conveys a sense of personal contemplation and invites readers to explore your insights.

• Formal Essays: “It appears to me that” can be used in formal essays and academic papers when you want to express your viewpoint while acknowledging your own reflection.
• Reflective Writing: In reflective essays or pieces where personal insight is valuable, this phrase can emphasize your contemplative approach.
• Persuasive Writing: Use it in persuasive essays or speeches to present your arguments as a product of careful consideration.
• In a formal essay: “It appears to me that the role of technology in education is continually evolving.”
• In a reflective essay: “It appears to me that my experiences have shaped my perspective on leadership.”
• Colleagues: “In my personal reflection, I believe that”
• Friends: “As I’ve thought about it, I feel that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “Through introspection, I’ve come to the conclusion that”
• Conveys introspection and personal reflection.
• Invites readers to consider your insights and perspective.
• May be perceived as somewhat informal for highly formal writing.
• Use it in contexts where personal reflection is appropriate.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “It appears to me that” with a clear statement that reflects your introspection and personal insight.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “introspection” refers to “the examination of and attention to your own ideas, thoughts, and feelings.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to convey a sense of personal reflection and introspection in your writing. It adds depth to your arguments and invites readers to explore your insights. Be mindful of the context and tone of your writing to use it effectively.

My Viewpoint Is That: Clarity in Expression

Clarity in essay writing is paramount, especially when expressing your beliefs. The phrase “My viewpoint is that” is a straightforward way to achieve this, ensuring your perspective is clear and easily understood by your readers.

• Formal Essays: “My viewpoint is that” is appropriate for formal essays, academic papers, or any writing where you need to express your viewpoint with precision.
• Analytical Writing: If you’re writing an analytical essay or report, this phrase can help you present your perspective in a clear and concise manner.
• Professional Documents: Use it in professional documents, such as reports or proposals, to ensure your viewpoint is explicitly stated.
• In a formal essay: “My viewpoint is that cultural diversity enriches our society in numerous ways.”
• In a professional report: “My viewpoint is that the proposed strategy aligns with our long-term goals.”
• Colleagues: “I hold the perspective that”
• Friends: “I believe that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “From my standpoint, I think that”
• Provides clarity and precision in expressing your viewpoint.
• Suitable for both formal and professional writing contexts.
• May sound somewhat formal for casual writing.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “My viewpoint is that” with a clear and concise statement of your perspective or belief.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “viewpoint” refers to “a way of considering something.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to ensure your viewpoint is expressed with utmost clarity. It’s particularly effective in formal and professional contexts where precision is crucial. Be mindful of the context and tone to use it appropriately.

In My Considered Judgment: A Deliberate Perspective

When you wish to convey a perspective rooted in careful thought and consideration, the phrase “In my considered judgment” is a distinguished choice. It signifies that your viewpoint is the product of thorough analysis and evaluation.

• Formal Essays: “In my considered judgment” is fitting for formal essays, research papers, or academic writing where you want to emphasize your thoughtful approach.
• Analytical Writing: In analytical essays or reports, this phrase can underscore the depth of your analysis and conclusions.
• Professional Reports: Use it in professional documents, such as reports or proposals, to express that your judgments are based on meticulous examination.
• In a formal essay: “In my considered judgment, the ethical implications of artificial intelligence warrant careful scrutiny.”
• In a professional report: “In my considered judgment, the data indicates a need for strategic adjustments in our marketing approach.”
• Colleagues: “I’ve thoroughly examined and believe that”
• Friends: “After careful thought, I feel that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “Through in-depth analysis, I’ve arrived at the conclusion that”
• Conveys a perspective rooted in careful analysis and judgment.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “In my considered judgment” with a clear and concise statement that reflects your thorough analysis and judgment.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “considered” means “thought carefully about something.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to emphasize the depth of your analysis and judgment in your writing. It adds a sense of authority and thoughtfulness to your arguments, making it particularly effective in formal and professional contexts. Be mindful of the context and tone to use it appropriately.

From My Perspective: Sharing Personal Insight

In the world of essay writing, sharing personal insight can be a powerful way to engage your readers. The phrase “From my perspective” accomplishes just that. It conveys that your viewpoint is shaped by your unique experiences and observations.

• Formal Essays: “From my perspective” is suitable for formal essays, research papers, or academic writing where you want to incorporate a personal touch.
• Persuasive Writing: In persuasive essays or speeches, this phrase can make your arguments more relatable by emphasizing your personal viewpoint.
• Professional Communication: Use it in professional emails, reports, or documents when you want to express your perspective while acknowledging its personal nature.
• In a formal essay: “From my perspective, the role of art in society extends beyond aesthetics; it serves as a reflection of our cultural identity .”
• In a professional email: “From my perspective, the proposed project timeline is ambitious but achievable.”
• Colleagues: “Based on my experiences and observations, I believe that”
• Friends: “In my personal view, I think that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “Drawing from my own insights, I hold that”
• Shares personal insight and experiences, making your writing more relatable.
• Adds a personal touch while maintaining a formal tone.
• May not be suitable for highly formal or objective writing where personal perspective is discouraged.
• Use it in contexts where personal insight is relevant and adds value.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “From my perspective” with a clear statement that presents your personal viewpoint or belief.

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to incorporate a personal touch and share your unique perspective in your writing. It can make your arguments more relatable and engaging, particularly in formal and professional contexts. Be mindful of the context and tone to use it effectively.

To My Mind: Expressing Personal Opinion

When you want to express your personal opinion in a straightforward and clear manner, the phrase “To my mind” is an excellent choice. It allows you to share your viewpoint while maintaining a respectful and thoughtful tone.

• Formal Essays: “To my mind” can be used in formal essays, research papers, or academic writing to express your personal opinion in a respectful way.
• Persuasive Writing: In persuasive essays or speeches, this phrase can help you present your arguments as the product of your personal perspective.
• Professional Correspondence: Use it in professional emails, reports, or documents to convey your opinion while acknowledging its personal nature.
• In a formal essay: “To my mind , the ethical implications of genetic engineering are complex and require careful consideration.”
• In a professional report: “To my mind, the proposed marketing strategy aligns well with our brand identity.”
• Colleagues: “In my personal opinion, I believe that”
• Friends: “Personally, I think that”
• Mentor-Mentee: “In my view, I hold that”
• Expresses personal opinion in a clear and respectful manner.
• May not be appropriate in highly formal or objective writing.
• Use it selectively to avoid overemphasizing personal opinion.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Follow “To my mind” with a clear and concise statement that presents your personal opinion or belief.

Definition: According to Cambridge Dictionary, “mind” refers to “the part of a person that makes it possible for him or her to think, feel emotions, and understand things.”

Tips: Use this phrase when you want to express your personal opinion in a clear and respectful way. It’s particularly effective in formal and professional contexts where you want to convey your viewpoint while maintaining a respectful tone. Be mindful of the context and tone to use it appropriately.

In conclusion, mastering the art of expression is crucial in essay writing. “12 Other Ways to Say ‘I Believe’ in an Essay” equips you with the tools needed to articulate your beliefs effectively. With these alternatives, you’ll infuse your essays with freshness and sophistication, leaving a lasting impression on your readers.

So go ahead, explore these phrases, and watch your writing soar to new heights.

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18 Other Ways to Say “However” in an Essay

You’re in the midst of a formal essay, and it looks like you’ve used “however” far too many times. Well, you’ve come to the right place!

Below, we’ve compiled a list of great alternative terms that you can use when “however” starts to feel worn out. So, keep reading to find what you seek!

Other Ways to Say “However”

Nevertheless, alternatively.

• Nonetheless
• All the same
• In spite of
• Notwithstanding
• On the other hand
• In contrast

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• It’s perfectly okay to use “however” in an essay.
• “Nevertheless” is a good alternative to use to keep your paper diverse.
• You can also use “alternatively” to avoid repetition of the word “however.”

Keep reading to see how we use our favorite synonyms for “however” in a couple of useful examples.

After that, we’ll consider whether it’s okay to use “however” in an essay. Is this considered bad practice?

If you’re wondering what to say instead of “however” in an essay, you might want to try “nevertheless.”

Firstly, like the original word, this term is used to introduce contrasting information relating to a previous statement. “Nevertheless” and “however” differ slightly in overall meaning.

However (or nevertheless), you’ll find that they can often be used interchangeably at the start of a sentence.

In other words, “nevertheless” is not a better word than “however” to use in formal or academic writing . But you can use this alternative to avoid repetition in your essay.

Finally, let’s see a couple of faux essay snippets making use of “nevertheless”:

Nevertheless , the ICO has provided several useful resources to guide sellers in their marketing pursuits.

After months of negotiations with unions, strikes broke out, nevertheless .

“Alternatively” is another word to use instead of “however” in academic writing. Like the original phrase, it can be used at the start of a sentence.

Essentially, “alternatively” means “as another possibility.” As such, it can be used to present a counterpoint to a previous statement in a paper.

However is just as effective as “alternatively,” but you can use this synonym to keep your phrasing diverse and your paper more interesting.

Lastly, let’s see a few examples making use of this term:

Small businesses feel that they have no choice but to cease the use of cold-calling altogether or, alternatively , undergo a costly remodeling of their marketing in an attempt to comply.

Alternatively , we may observe adaptation to these new conditions amongst our specimens.

Can I Use “However” in an Essay?

It is perfectly okay to use “however” in an essay . However, we do advise that you use it with caution.

Although it is not a bad word by any means, it is very easy to overuse it. This could be very detrimental to the appearance of your essay to any marker.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to use our list of synonyms to find other ways to say “however” when you have already used it.

Nevertheless, “however” is a perfectly polite word that can be used to introduce contrasting information or to transition to a new sentence. It is very effective, and you’re unlikely to find an academic paper that makes no use of it at all.

We hope you found our list of synonyms helpful. If you think you might need them the next time you’re drafting an essay, why not bookmark this page so you can find it again with ease?

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Does It Seem Like the End Times Are Here? These Novels Know Better.

What can fiction tell us about the apocalypse? Ayana Mathis finds unexpected hope in novels of crisis by Ling Ma, Jenny Offill and Jesmyn Ward.

Credit... Day Brièrre

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By Ayana Mathis

Ayana Mathis’s most recent novel, “The Unsettled,” was published in September.

• April 11, 2024

On the day my mother died, I sat by her bedside and read the Psalms. The room was quiet — the need for machines had passed — save for the sound of my voice and my mother’s labored breathing. Outside her room, the hospital went about its business: Lunch trays were delivered, nurses conferred, a television played too loudly down the corridor. Out there, time passed in its usual, unremarkable way. In her room, my mother and I had stepped off time’s familiar track.

Everything inessential vanished in her final hours. I read the Psalms because they comforted her. I told her I loved her. She squeezed my hand, which, in that afternoon when she was no longer able to speak, was as profound an expression of love as any words had ever been. When she died hours later, I knew that on the other side of her hospital room door there awaited, at least for me, an altered world.

The subject of this essay is apocalypse, and so I have begun with an ending. If you have lost a deeply beloved, then you have experienced the obliterating finality of death, that catastrophe in the small universe of an individual life. The loss also brings a realization: The “worst thing” that could happen is no longer a future projection; it has exploded into the present.

Apocalypse is generally understood as a future event: widespread suffering, extinctions, various iterations of end-time destruction gunning for us from some tomorrow. Out there, in the vast, unknowable not-yet, apocalypse roars. It paralyzes us with fear, deadens us into numbness or provokes us to hysteria. We are powerless in its face.

But what if we could change our relationship with the end by shifting our perspective on it? The first step might be dwelling more profoundly in the here and now where our crises amass, rather than focusing on the boogeyman future. We already know something about how to do this: We are creatures of loss; we have confronted, or will confront, the “worst things” in the real time of our lives. There is a precedent, then, for how, in this moment, we might collectively approach the apocalyptic worst things. While our beloved still lives, there is possibility: We can give her our attention; we can hold her hand.

I won’t downplay the current horrors — tens of thousands dead in Gaza, conflict in Ukraine, the high-stakes presidential election on the horizon — or imply that all will turn out right. The novels in this essay don’t do that either. Instead, they suggest new ways of seeing: a shift to deeper present-time awareness, even wonder, as the times grow ever more dire. The theologian Catherine Keller calls this “apocalyptic mindfulness.” “A cloud of roiling possibility seems to reveal itself,” she writes in “Facing Apocalypse” (2021). “It guarantees no happy ending. It may, however, enhance the uncertain chance of better outcomes.”

Many of our end-time notions are inflected by the biblical Book of Revelation. Its phantasmagoric visions and lurid scenes of destruction have thoroughly infiltrated Western talk of the end: the Four Horsemen, the beast we call the Antichrist (though Revelation doesn’t use the term), fires, plagues and raging pestilence. It may come as a surprise, then, that apokalypsis, the Greek word for “revelation,” means not “ending” but “unveiling.” As Keller writes, “It means not closure but dis-closure — that is, opening. A chance to open our eyes?” But, to what?

In Ling Ma’s novel “ Severance ” (2018), newly pregnant Candace Chen wanders a near-deserted New York City in the midst of a pandemic caused by a disease called Shen Fever. The majority of the city’s residents have fled or become “fevered,” a zombielike state that leaves victims stuck on repeat: a family endlessly setting the table and saying grace; a saleswoman, her jaw half eaten by decay, folding and refolding polo shirts at an abandoned Juicy Couture store on Fifth Avenue. The fevered are the least threatening zombies imaginable: so busy with their mindless performance of mundane tasks that they don’t notice the living. Ma has a knack for nuanced satire.

Candace sticks around because she’s got nowhere else to go; she’s the orphaned child of Chinese immigrants who died years before. Inexplicably, and perhaps somewhat to her dismay, she remains virus-free. As the pandemic shuts down the city, she doggedly persists with her job in the Bibles department at Spectra, a book production company: “I clicked Send, knowing it was fruitless,” she says. When public transportation stops entirely, she moves into her office on the 32nd floor, overlooking an empty Times Square.

It doesn’t take long to understand that a vast grief underlies Candace’s workaholic paralysis. So intense is her mourning for her parents that for a while the pandemic hardly registers. She needs to hold on to something, even pointless work at Spectra. The office setting is no coincidence: In some sense, Candace, too, is fevered, and her job’s rote repetition is a kind of anesthetic.

The dull but familiar grind of late-capitalist working life acts as a numbing agent, or perhaps a blindfold. When work dries up because the rest of the world is no longer at its desk, Candace rambles around the city utterly alone, taking pictures of derelict buildings that she posts on a blog she calls “NY Ghost.” One afternoon she enters a flooded subway station. “You couldn’t even see the water beneath all the garbage,” Ma writes. “The deeper you tunneled down, the bigger the sound, echoed and magnified by the enclosed space, until this primordial slurp was all that existed.” Grieving Candace is adrift, her internal landscape aligned with the desolation of the external world.

Published two years before the Covid pandemic, “Severance” offers an eerily prescient description of a nation shocked and exhausted. For so many, 2020 was a kind of apocalyptic unveiling. The pandemic revealed the fault lines in our health care and our schools, as well as the fact that so many of us were living in perpetual economic precarity. Then there were the deaths, which as a country we have hardly begun to mourn. Painfully and all at once, we understood the fragility of the systems we relied on, and the instability of our own lives.

Yet alongside the devastation there was transient beauty: In many places, air and water quality improved during lockdown and wildlife resurged. Health-care and essential workers were acknowledged and more respected; we realized the extent of our dependence on one another. If only for a little while, we were thrown into Keller’s “apocalyptic mindfulness.” But the eye snapped shut. We “recovered,” and, like Candace, we find ourselves once again in a collective disquiet, punctuated by bouts of terror as we contemplate the future.

On the final afternoon of her wandering, Candace ventures into the same Juicy Couture store she’d photographed weeks before. Ominously, the fevered saleswoman has been bludgeoned to death. Candace’s unborn child seems frightened too: “The baby moved inside of me, fluttering frantically.” Candace leaves Manhattan through the Lincoln Tunnel in a yellow taxi she’s commandeered from a fevered driver. She joins a band of survivors led by a creepy zealot named Bob, a former I.T. guy who wears a brace for carpal tunnel syndrome, that most banal of white-collar work maladies. They journey to the Chicago suburbs to homestead in a deserted mall. (I told you Ma has a knack for satire.)

In this semi-cult, Candace’s grief intensifies. She begins to have visions of her mother, who warns her that she and her unborn baby aren’t safe with Bob. Candace’s mother is right. Bob has a penchant for shooting the fevered in the head if he encounters them when he and the others go “stalking” for food and supplies. We squirm at these killings, even if the victims are not quite alive, at least not in the usual sense. Bob’s violent demagoguery opens Candace’s eyes to her metaphorically fevered state, and as we look into the mirror the novel holds up to us, we begin to wonder about our relationship to our own beleaguered world.

At last, Candace’s fever breaks and, fully alive, she escapes Bob and the others in a Nissan stolen from the group’s mini-fleet. She drives into once grand Chicago, swerving to avoid abandoned cars clogging Milwaukee Avenue. Finally, she runs out of gas. “Up ahead there’s a massive littered river, planked by an elaborate, wrought-iron red bridge,” she recounts. “Beyond the bridge is more skyline, more city. I get out and start walking.”

The “end” for Candace and her baby is not, in fact, an ending, but rather, an awakening that follows revelation.

If “Severance” chronicles its protagonist’s end-time stirrings from the stupor of grief, Jenny Offill’s novel “ Weather ” (2020) is its manic cousin, a diaristic account of climate anxiety. Narrated in the first person, aggressively present tense and composed of short chapters that leap from association to observation, the book is like a panicked brain in overdrive.

“Weather”’s protagonist, Lizzie, works as a university librarian in New York City. Her former professor, Sylvia, a climate change expert, finagled the gig for her though Lizzie isn’t really qualified. “Years ago, I was her grad student,” Lizzie explains, “but then I gave up on it. She used to check in on me sometimes to see if I was still squandering my promise. The answer was always yes.”

Lizzie is all wry self-deprecation. As the book progresses, we understand that she is less an underachiever than an empath, so often overwhelmed that her focus scrambles. Or perhaps it’s that she is deeply attentive to things we try to ignore. Her experience of the world is the opposite of Candace’s near-impenetrable grief. Lizzie is porous. Too much gets in: grave news about the environment, the plights of relative strangers — like kindly Mr. Jimmy, a car-service owner being run out of business by Uber. Lizzie “helps” by taking Mr. Jimmy’s car to various appointments, though she can’t afford it and the traffic makes her late.

The novel doesn’t so much unfold as tumble out over the course of a turbulent year that encompasses Donald Trump’s election in 2016. After Trump’s win, tensions rise in Lizzie’s Brooklyn neighborhood. Even Mr. Jimmy is spewing casual vitriol about Middle Eastern people and car bombs. Lizzie’s husband, Ben, retreats to the couch, to read a “giant history of war.” And I haven’t even mentioned Henry, Lizzie’s depressive, recovering-addict brother, who meets a woman, marries and has a baby, all at whiplash speed. When the marriage implodes, Henry winds up on Lizzie and Ben’s couch, using again and barely able to parent his daughter.

For Lizzie, as for most of us, personal and collective catastrophes run parallel. Her vision of the future grows ever darker. She talks to Sylvia about buying land somewhere cooler, where Eli, her young son, and Iris, her newborn niece, might fare better in 30 years or so. “Do you really think you can protect them? In 2047?” Sylvia asks.

“I look at her,” Lizzie thinks. “Because until this moment, I did, I did somehow think this.” The realization of her helplessness is unbearable, but Lizzie knows she must bear it: This bleak state of affairs is her son’s inheritance.

Lizzie is gripped by grief and despair — she spends far too much time on doomsday prepper websites — both complicated responses to a planet in the midst of radical, damaging change. “In a world of mortal beings,” Keller writes in “Facing Apocalypse,” “it would seem that without some work of mourning, responsibility for that world cannot develop.” Lizzie’s sense of loss and futility is wrenching, but her response attaches her that much more deeply to this world. Her anxiety is acute because the time in which to act is limited and shot through with urgency.

Lizzie experiences her moment as unprecedented; her end-time sensibility suggests an analogy, albeit to a starkly different context. The Apostle Paul also understood himself to be living through an extraordinary rupture in time. Paul's zeal to spread the Gospel through the ancient world was fueled by his conviction that ordinary time, and life, had been profoundly derailed by Christ’s crucifixion, and was soon to end with his imminent Second Coming. Paul believed he was living in an in-between time that the Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben has aptly called “ the time that remains ,” a phrase borrowed from Paul’s letter to the fledgling church at Corinth. “The time is short,” Paul wrote. “From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not.”

The old world and its rules had not yet passed away but the prospect of Christ’s return cast an altering light on the present, highlighting the impermanence of all things. Everything was revealed to be in flux and therefore subject to reversals and change.

In “Weather,” Lizzie’s frazzled report from the event horizon of impending disaster, the time that remains means that moments are more precious, less bound by previous rules of engagement and more open to radically new ones. Near the end of the novel, Henry reclaims his sobriety, and Lizzie finds renewed, if melancholic, love for this imperiled world. She wants to find a new way to engage, even as she is uncertain what that might be. “There’s the idea in the different traditions. Of the veil,” Lizzie says. “What if we were to tear through it?” The image recalls Keller’s apokalypsis — a revelatory “ dis-closure .”

Jesmyn Ward’s “ Salvage the Bones ” (2011) takes a very different approach to apocalypse. The novel is set over 12 days, before and just after Hurricane Katrina strikes the Gulf Coast. The 15-year-old narrator, Esch, her father and three brothers live in the Mississippi Delta, outside a coastal town Ward calls Bois Sauvage. Unlike other characters we have encountered, Ward’s need no awakening; and time is far too short for existential anxiety or long-term planning.

The novel opens as China, a pit bull belonging to Esch’s brother Skeetah, is giving birth. Moody, commanding China is the love of Skeetah’s young life and as vivid as any human character in the book. “What China is doing is fighting, like she was born to do,” Ward writes. “Fight our shoes, fight other dogs, fight these puppies that are reaching for the outside, blind and wet.” Skeetah hopes to sell China’s puppies for big money. Enough to send his older brother, Randall, to basketball camp, where, the family hopes, he’ll be noticed by college scouts. Enough, perhaps, to help Esch take care of her baby. Esch is pregnant, though not far enough along to show, and she is in love with the baby’s father, her brother Randall’s friend Manny, who keeps her a secret and won’t kiss her on the mouth.

The novel is full of mothers: mothers to be, absent mothers (Esch’s mother died in childbirth years before), animal mothers, even mythical mothers (Esch is fixated on the avenging Medea, whom she’s read about in school). And, of course, Mother Nature is flying across the gulf, heading straight for Bois Sauvage. Mothers in this novel are makers and destroyers. In some cases, they are also unprepared to occupy the role; they are in jeopardy or else the circumstances of their motherhood run afoul of certain proprieties.

Esch’s pregnancy isn’t easy. It may also be hard for readers to accept: Esch is in dire financial straits and young enough to scandalize some of us. Does the prospect of her motherhood elicit the same empathy as Lizzie’s or Candace’s? Whose children do we think of as the hope for the future when the end is nigh? Which mothers are most valued in the collective perception? Not, generally speaking, an impoverished Black girl barely into her teens.

Ward’s concerns are with those who will bear the brunt of the coming storms, both natural and metaphoric, on the page and in the world. Esch and her family face Katrina with nothing besides a few canned goods they’ve scared up, and some plywood nailed over the doors and windows. Esch herself is the sort of vulnerable person Scripture might refer to as “the least of these.” Each time I read the novel, my mind leaps to the biblical Mary, mother of Jesus, a poor, brown, teenage girl who gave birth in a barn because no safer provision was made for her. In that story, the life least protected turns out to be the most essential.

So it is in “Salvage the Bones”: Esch and her unborn child, along with fighting China and her puppies, are the beating heart of this universe. Here, Esch considers which animals flee before a coming storm: “Maybe the bigger animals do,” she reflects. “Maybe the small don’t run. Maybe the small pause on their branches, the pine-lined earth, nose up, catch that coming storm air that would smell like salt to them, like salt and clean burning fire, and they prepare like us.”

With “the small,” or those treated as such, as focal points, Ward’s novel is also an indictment. It’s true that Katrina was a natural disaster, but its effects were preventable, or might have been mitigated. Most of us remember the levees breaking. The disaster’s aftermath — thousands, mostly poor, stranded without food or water; critically ill patients dying in storm-ravaged hospitals ; desperate, unarmed civilians shot by police officers — was entirely the fault of humans.

We might extend Ward’s insight to end-time crises in general, in which other Esches are similarly left with the greater share of suffering. We may not be able to reverse the crises themselves, but we can intervene in the devastation they cause, and to whom.

We have been down a harrowing road; there isn’t much comfort here. But perhaps at this critical juncture in our human story, it is not comfort that will aid us most. Perhaps what will aid us most is to enter more fully into dis comfort. To awaken to our grief, like Candace. To try to tear through the veil, like Lizzie. In this way we might begin to believe that the future is not foreclosed upon, whatever it might look like.

I leave us with Esch’s declaration of hope at the end of Ward’s novel. Esch’s family has survived, but Skeetah is searching for China, who disappeared in the storm: “He will look into the future and see her emerge into the circle of his fire, beaten dirty by the hurricane so she doesn’t gleam anymore … dull but alive, alive, alive.”

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