Meaning

(interrogative, degree) To what degree or extent..

Definitions by Sense

1. (interrogative, degree) To what degree or extent.
2. (interrogative) In what manner:
3. (interrogative) In what state or condition.
4. (fused relative) In the manner in which.
5. (fused relative) In any manner in which; in whatever way; however.
6. (relative, nonstandard, modifying a word like way or manner) In which.
7. (exclamative) Used as a modifier to indicate surprise, delight, or other strong feelings in an exclamation.
8. (informal) That, the fact that.

Example Sentences

How often do you practice?

The gauge indicated how hot the oven was.

How soon can I see the doctor?

No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.

How damaged is her self-esteem?

Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product (GDP), is a tangle too.[…]But as a foundation for analysis it is highly subjective: it rests on difficult decisions about what counts as a territory, what counts as output and how to value it. Indeed, economists are still tweaking it.

How are you?

How was your vacation?

Word Forms

• 'ow
• hoo
• hows
• how's
• howe
• howgh

Synonyms for how

Related Words

When Should You Use How?

Use how when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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Frequently Asked Questions