how
how
How (adv) means By what means, method, or manner. Example: “How did you fix the leak so quickly?”
adv
1
By what means, method, or manner.
"How did you fix the leak so quickly?"
"Show me how this machine works."
"Can you tell me how to get to the station?"
2
To what extent or degree.
"How tall is your brother now?"
"How much longer will the repairs take, do you think?"
"I wanted to know how badly the storm had damaged the roof."
3
Used to introduce an exclamation of surprise or strong feeling.
"How wonderful to see you again!"
"How kind of you to bring soup when I was ill!"
"How quickly the children have grown since last summer!"
conj
1
That; introducing a reported fact (informal).
"I couldn't believe how she just walked out mid-meeting."
"She told me how she'd always wanted to live by the sea."
"He kept complaining about how the bus never turns up on time."
intj
1
Used to ask someone to repeat what they said, or as a greeting stereotypically attributed to Native American speech in old films and fiction.
""How?" she said, cupping her ear."
""How?" I asked, leaning in, because the train had drowned out her words."
"Grandad, who is hard of hearing, often just says "How?" when we speak softly."
How to use how
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe everyday question word for asking about method, manner, or degree.
Common pairings
how come
how about
how much
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Word forms
- Plural
- hows, how's
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ did you fix the leak so quickly?
Etymology
From Old English hū, from a Proto-Germanic root shared with "who" and "what" — the /hw/ sound simplified to /h/ earlier in "how" than in "who" or "which."
Synonyms
View more →
in what way
by what means
in what manner
Rhymes for how
See all rhymes for how →Frequently asked questions
What does “how” mean?
The word “how” means by what means, method, or manner. In plain terms, the everyday question word for asking about method, manner, or degree.
How do you pronounce “how”?
“How” is pronounced how (/haʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “how” in a sentence?
Here is “how” used in a sentence: “How did you fix the leak so quickly?”
What part of speech is “how”?
Depending on how it is used, “how” can be an adverb, a conjunction and an intj.
Where does the word “how” come from?
The word “how” comes from Old English. From Old English hū, from a Proto-Germanic root shared with "who" and "what" — the /hw/ sound simplified to /h/ earlier in "how" than in "who" or "which.".
Is “how” a common word?
“How” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “how” have?
“How” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: by what means, method, or manner.
Is it correct to say "How do you call this in English?"
No — the standard question is "What do you call this?" because you are asking for a name, not a manner. "How" asks about means or method, so "How do you say this in English?" is correct when asking about the way something is said.
What is the difference between "how much" and "how many"?
Use "how many" with countable nouns ("how many chairs?") and "how much" with uncountable nouns ("how much water?"). "How much" also asks about price ("how much is it?") even when the item itself is countable.
What is the difference between "how about" and "what about"?
Both introduce suggestions or turn a question back to someone ("How about Friday?", "What about you?"). They are largely interchangeable in suggestions, though "what about" is slightly more common when raising a problem or objection ("What about the cost?").
How is "how" used in exclamations like "How kind of you"?
Before an adjective or adverb, "how" intensifies it to express degree: "How kind of you!" means "You are very kind." This reflects its sense of "to what extent or degree," turned into an exclamation rather than a question.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing how in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
But this has also exposed how difficult it is for everyday Filipinos to take up the sport.
From
BBC · Jul 26, 2026
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