What's the difference between "despite", "although" and "even though"? Are they always interchangeable?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Although these three have similar meanings and functions, only “although” and “even though” are interchangeable with each other. “Despite” can be replaced with “in spite of” or “regardless of” here. Ex: In spite of periods of instability, the U.S. dollar has remained stable. Ex: Regardless of the poor weather, I was determined to enjoy my vacation.

How do native speakers use this expression?

Share this post

Popular Q&As

01/10

1
What kind of "prison slang" are there? I haven't heard of any.
"Prison slang" refers to slang terms that are used by inmates within a prison. There are many different slang terms used in prisons but most of them are unknown to people who have never been in prison. Most "prison slang" terms are related to criminal activity, prison life, and other inmates, most of which are not used in daily conversation by regular English speakers. However, some of this slang has been made more popular from the media. For the example, the term "bagman" comes from prison slang and refers to someone who is in possession of drugs.

2
When can I use the word "heartbroken"?
The word "heartbroken" means to be very distressed or upset over something. You can use the word "heartbroken" when discussing a breakup, an unpleasant situation, or even death. Ex: She was heartbroken from her father's death. Ex: I never felt so heartbroken. I loved him. Ex: We were heartbroken when our dog died.

3
What does it mean by "a way around something"?
When we use the phrase "way around something" the context is that we are trying to successfully avoid something. In this case it means that they need to think of a way out of this situation, despite the fact they are having problems and setbacks. Ex: We need to find a way around this traffic jam if we're ever going to get to the restaurant. Ex: We'll find a way around your punishment, even if we have to sneak you out of the house. Ex: I don’t see any way around this issue.

4
I say people say "peel" when it comes to fruits. So, it can be used for human as well, and also used for both verb and noun?
Yes! It can be used when referring to human skin. For humans, it's only a verb. When skin "peels" or "peels" off. Whereas for fruit and vegetables, "peel" is both a noun and a verb since the outer skin is called a "peel," depending on the fruit. Ex: My skin is peeling after getting burnt. Ex: I need to throw away the orange peel.

5
Can I replace "piping" with "very"? What does "piping" mean?
Yes you can! It is perfectly acceptable to replace "piping" with "very." Piping hot means that a food or beverage is extremely or very hot in temperature. Ex: This food is piping hot. Ex: Be careful. The cider is piping hot.

Complete the expression with a quiz!