JS Tip 114: From the Writing Workshops: “Although” versus “Though”

Wells Fargo’s Steven Maehl asks, “What’s the difference between though and although?”

Short answer: Nothing. They’re interchangeable.

Longer answer: The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage (an excellent—and inexpensive—resource) explains it this way:

      These conjunctions have been essentially interchangeable since about 1400. . . . Though is more frequently used than although, perhaps because it is shorter. Assertions of delicate shades of difference in formality made by some commentators cannot be confirmed in Merriam-Webster files.

Bam! Take that, “some commentators.” Since 1400. 

Your call. Whatever you’re comfortable with.

We appreciate your questions. We appreciate the discussion. We love this stuff. 

Next week: More on “The Monster Sentence.” We’ve got a debate going.